Vietnamese National Dishes

Bánh căn Nha Trang (clay-mold rice cakes with shrimp and squid)

Small rice-batter cakes are cooked in individual wells until their rims turn lightly crisp. This Nha Trang seafood version pairs shrimp and squid cakes with scallion oil, a sweet-sour fish-sauce dip, shredded green mango and fresh herbs.

Vietnamese National Dishes
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Nha Trang bánh căn with browned rice cakes topped with cooked shrimp and squid, scallion oil, fish sauce, green mango and herbs.
Small clay-mold rice cakes with seafood and dipping sauce.
Yield 4 servings, about 24 small cakes
Cook time 35 minutes
Passive time 480 minutes
Total time 550 minutes
Calories per serving 440 kcal
Ingredients ↓
Overview

Bánh căn Nha Trang (clay-mold rice cakes with shrimp and squid)

Bánh căn are small rice-batter cakes cooked in individual clay wells rather than deep-fried. In Nha Trang, seafood toppings such as shrimp or squid are common, and the cakes are often served with a dipping sauce, scallion oil and green mango. The batter develops a browned edge while staying tender in the centre. This home version uses a refrigerated overnight rice soak and a dedicated bánh căn pan; toppings and sauces vary around the coast.

Practical

Practical

  • Keys to successUse a dry, non-sticky rice variety and blend the batter until smooth; a thick batter can be loosened with reserved soaking water. Heat the mold thoroughly before adding batter, and cover each batch so the centre sets. Cut seafood small and evenly; keep it chilled until the pan is ready. Serve each batch immediately so the edges stay crisp.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Rice batter

  • 320 g short- or medium-grain rice
  • 100 g cooked rice, cooled promptly and refrigerated
  • 650 ml water for soaking and blending; reserve it after draining the rice
  • 4 g fine salt

Seafood and scallion oil

  • 200 g raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, cut into small pieces
  • 200 g cleaned squid, cut into small pieces
  • 10 ml neutral oil for lightly oiling the mold
  • 30 ml neutral oil for scallion oil
  • 30 g scallions, finely sliced

Dipping sauce and sides

  • 45 ml fish sauce
  • 60 ml warm water
  • 25 g sugar
  • 30 ml lime juice
  • 8 g garlic, finely minced
  • 1 small red chili, finely minced; optional
  • 150 g green mango, peeled and shredded
  • 120 g lettuce and fresh herbs, washed and dried
Method

Method

Method

  1. Rinse the dry rice until the water is mostly clear. Cover it with the measured water, cover the bowl and soak in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight. Drain the rice but reserve the soaking water.

  2. Blend the soaked rice, cooled cooked rice, salt and enough reserved soaking water to make a smooth, pourable batter about as thick as heavy cream. Rest the batter for 10 minutes while preparing the accompaniments. If it thickens, whisk in a little more soaking water.

  3. Stir the sugar into 60 ml warm water until dissolved. Mix in fish sauce and lime juice, then add garlic and optional chili. Taste and adjust only with small amounts of water, lime or sugar because fish-sauce saltiness varies. Keep covered; refrigerate if holding longer than 2 hours.

  4. Warm 30 ml oil in a small pan until hot but not smoking. Pour it over the sliced scallions and stir. Wash and dry the lettuce and herbs; peel and shred the green mango. Keep raw shrimp and squid refrigerated until cooking.

  5. Heat the bánh căn pan over medium heat until thoroughly hot. Lightly brush the wells with 10 ml oil. Stir the batter and fill each well about two-thirds full. Add shrimp to 12 cakes and squid to the other 12. Cover and cook until the batter is set and the edges are golden, about 4–6 minutes per batch, depending on the pan. Shrimp should be pearly and opaque; squid should be opaque throughout. Cook in batches, reheating the pan between them.

  6. Lift the cakes out with a thin utensil. Brush or spoon scallion oil over them. Serve six hot cakes per person with dipping sauce, shredded mango, lettuce and herbs. Eat promptly for the best contrast between crisp edges and tender centres.

Practical

Practical

Practical tips

Soaking the rice in the refrigerator prevents it sitting warm for hours. If you do not own a bánh căn pan, a dedicated small-well takoyaki or æbleskiver pan may work, but browning and shape will differ. Mix the batter between batches because rice solids can settle.

Troubleshooting

Cakes stick: Heat and lightly oil the wells before each batch; avoid lifting the cakes before the rim releases. Centres stay wet: Use less batter per well and keep the lid on until the top is set. Edges are pale: Let the mold reheat fully between batches.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use rice flour instead of soaking rice? This recipe is calibrated for soaked whole rice and cooked rice; rice flour absorbs water differently, so substituting it requires a different batter ratio. Can I make the cakes ahead? They are best cooked just before serving. Keep the batter covered and refrigerated, and cook each batch fresh.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Serving size: Six small cakes with seafood and accompaniments. 440 kcal; carbohydrate 65 g; protein 20 g; fat 12 g; fibre 3 g; sodium 1,050 mg. Values vary with cake size, oil retained and dipping sauce consumed.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

  • Serving sizeServing size: Six small cakes with seafood and accompaniments
  • Calories440 kcal
  • carbohydrate65 g
  • protein20 g
  • fat12 g
  • fibre3 g
  • sodium1,050 mg
Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Contains crustaceans (shrimp), molluscs (squid) and fish (fish sauce). Check packaged labels and cross-contact statements. Keep raw seafood chilled and separate from ready-to-eat produce. Cook shrimp until pearly and opaque; cook squid until opaque throughout. Wash hands, utensils and surfaces after handling raw seafood. Refrigerate prepared dipping sauce if held longer than 2 hours.

How to serve

How to serve

  • Serve cakes as soon as they leave the mold, with warm scallion oil and dipping sauce.
  • Let diners add shredded green mango, lettuce and herbs to each bite.
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