Vietnamese National Dishes

Bánh căn Đà Lạt — mini rice cakes with quail egg and xíu mại broth

Cook bite-size rice cakes in a covered pan, top each with a quail egg, and serve with hot fish-sauce broth and tender xíu mại.

Vietnamese National Dishes
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Small golden bánh căn cakes topped with quail eggs beside a bowl of pork xíu mại broth with daikon and herbs.
Bánh căn Đà Lạt with quail eggs, served with xíu mại broth.
Yield 4 servings
Cook 40 minutes
Passive 30 minutes for batter rest
Total 105 minutes
Calories per serving about 700 kcal
Ingredients ↓
Overview

Bánh căn Đà Lạt — mini rice cakes with quail egg and xíu mại broth

Bánh căn is made from small rounds of rice batter cooked in individual wells. In Đà Lạt, the cakes are associated with a charcoal-fired mold and a quail or duck egg on top. A warm bowl of xíu mại meatballs is a familiar highland pairing. Other regions use different batters, fillings and sauces, so bánh căn does not have one universal topping.

This practical home version uses rice flour and a covered stovetop pan instead of soaked, ground rice and a charcoal brazier. Each cake is cooked with a quail egg and served with a light fish-sauce broth containing small pork meatballs and daikon. Keep the cakes tender inside with lightly browned edges and serve them as soon as they leave the pan.

Practical

Practical

  • Tips for successRest the batter for 30 minutes, then whisk it again before each batch so the starch does not settle. Use only a thin film of oil in the wells. Lower the heat if the bottoms brown before the eggs set. Cook pork meatballs to 71°C / 160°F in the center; cook each egg until both white and yolk are firm.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Rice cakes

  • 300 g white rice flour, sifted if lumpy
  • 30 g tapioca starch
  • 650 ml cool water
  • 4 g fine salt
  • 15 ml neutral oil, to brush the pan wells lightly as needed
  • 24 quail eggs, cracked into a small bowl

Xíu mại and broth

  • 400 g ground pork, kept chilled
  • 20 g shallot, peeled and finely minced
  • 5 g garlic, peeled and finely minced
  • 10 ml fish sauce for the meatballs
  • 12 g tapioca starch for the meatballs
  • 0.5 g ground black pepper
  • 900 ml unsalted or low-sodium pork or chicken stock
  • 120 g daikon, peeled and cut into thin half-moons
  • 15 ml fish sauce for the broth
  • 5 g sugar

Garnish

  • 20 g scallions, thinly sliced
  • 15 g cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 10 g fresh red chili, thinly sliced, to taste
Method

Method

Method

  1. Whisk rice flour, 30 g tapioca starch, water and salt until smooth. Rest 30 minutes; whisk again before each batch.

  2. Mix pork, shallot, garlic, 10 ml fish sauce, 12 g tapioca starch and pepper just until tacky. Shape into 20 small, even meatballs. Wash hands and clean the work surface after handling raw pork.

  3. Bring stock and daikon to a gentle simmer. Add meatballs in one layer and poach gently for 10–12 minutes, turning once. Check the center of one meatball with a thermometer; it must reach 71°C / 160°F. Stir in 15 ml fish sauce and sugar; keep hot at a gentle simmer.

  4. Heat a covered 12-well pan over medium heat and brush each well with a very thin film of oil. Fill each well about two-thirds with batter, cover and cook about 1 minute, until the edges begin to set. Add one quail egg to each cake; cover and cook 3–4 minutes, until the cake is set and both egg white and yolk are fully firm.

  5. Lift cakes onto a clean plate with a thin spatula or skewer. Repeat with remaining batter and eggs, brushing the wells lightly as needed, to make 24 cakes. Lower the heat if the bottoms brown before the eggs set.

  6. Divide cakes among four plates. Ladle hot broth and five meatballs into each of four small bowls. Finish with scallions and cilantro; offer chili at the table. Serve hot and dip each bite into the xíu mại broth.

Practical

Practical

Practical guidance

Fish sauce brands vary in saltiness, so taste the broth after adding it. Keep it at a gentle simmer while the cakes cook. Prepare garnishes before shaping the raw meatballs, or wash hands and utensils before touching ready-to-eat food. For the best texture, make the cakes just before serving.

Troubleshooting

The batter thickens as it rests: whisk in water 1 tablespoon at a time until it pours easily. The egg is still loose when the cake is browned: lower the heat and keep the pan covered so the top cooks through without scorching the base.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make the batter ahead? Yes. Cover and refrigerate it for up to one day; whisk it smooth before cooking. Keep raw pork separate and shape the meatballs shortly before cooking. Can I use chicken eggs? Yes. Beat one chicken egg and spoon a little over each cake, or use smaller portions. The Đà Lạt presentation commonly places a small egg in each well; cook it fully.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

  • Serving sizesix quail-egg rice cakes with about five pork meatballs and broth
  • Calories700 kcal
  • Carbohydrate68 g
  • Protein31 g
  • Fat31 g
  • Fibre2 g
  • Sodium1,100 mg
Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Contains eggs (quail eggs) and fish (fish sauce). Check stock and packaged starch for additional allergens or cross-contact. Keep raw pork chilled and separate from ready-to-eat garnishes. Cook the center of a meatball to 71°C / 160°F; cook each egg until white and yolk are firm. Refrigerate cakes, broth and meatballs separately within 2 hours at or below 4°C / 40°F, use within 3–4 days, and reheat leftovers to 74°C / 165°F.

To finish

To finish

  • Serve the cakes straight from the pan while their edges are lightly crisp.
  • Keep the xíu mại broth hot in individual bowls for dipping.
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