Vietnamese National Dishes

Bánh chuối hấp nước cốt dừa

Ripe banana slices set into a soft, chewy tapioca cake, steamed until translucent, chilled until sliceable, then served with lightly salted coconut sauce and toasted sesame.

Vietnamese National Dishes
Share
Wide view of a round bánh chuối hấp cake cut into diamonds, with coconut sauce and sesame on the plate and a sauce bowl and bananas behind.
The whole steamed banana cake and its cut pieces show a chewy, translucent crumb.
Yield 8 portions, cut into squares or diamonds
Cook About 40 minutes
Passive About 2 hours 15 minutes, including the banana rest and cooling/chilling
Total About 3 hours 20 minutes (200 minutes)
Calories per serving About 390 kcal
Ingredients ↓
Overview

Bánh chuối hấp nước cốt dừa

Bánh chuối hấp nước cốt dừa is a Southern Vietnamese steamed banana cake served with coconut milk. Sliced ripe bananas are held together by a starch-rich batter; when steamed, the cake turns translucent, springy and gently chewy. A separate coconut sauce adds richness, while toasted sesame brings a nutty finish.

Home versions vary. Some use tapioca starch alone, others add rice flour or pearl tapioca, and some cook coconut milk into the batter. This version uses a measured tapioca-and-rice-flour batter, steams it in one shallow pan, then adds coconut sauce at serving. Use bananas that are ripe and fragrant but still firm enough to slice; very soft fruit can make the cake mushy.

Practical

Practical

  • Tips for successChoose ripe but still firm bananas, and cut them into even 8–10 mm slices. Stir the starch batter until smooth before folding it through the bananas. Spread the mixture in an even layer no deeper than about 4 cm so the center steams through. Keep the steamer covered and maintain simmering water; do not let the pot boil dry. Cool and chill the cake before slicing so the starch sets and the pieces hold their shape.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Banana cake

  • 1,000 g ripe but still firm Asian bananas (chuối xiêm or chuối sứ, or similar), peeled weight
  • 200 g tapioca starch
  • 40 g fine white rice flour
  • 220 ml cool potable water
  • 120 g granulated sugar
  • 2 g fine salt
  • 5 ml neutral oil, only if not lining the pan

Coconut sauce and finish

  • 300 ml unsweetened full-fat canned coconut milk, well shaken
  • 30 g granulated sugar
  • 2 g fine salt
  • 10 g tapioca starch
  • 25 ml cool potable water
  • 20 g white sesame seeds
Method

Method

Method

  1. Prepare the steamer and pan. Bring the steamer water to a steady boil. Line a 23 cm pan with a parchment round or lightly grease it with the measured oil. Make sure the pan fits level on the steamer rack.

  2. Rest the bananas. Peel the bananas and slice them 8–10 mm thick. Gently toss with 120 g sugar and 2 g salt. Leave for 15 minutes so the sugar begins to dissolve and the fruit releases a little juice.

  3. Make the batter. Whisk the tapioca starch and rice flour together in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in 220 ml cool water until smooth. Fold the batter gently through the banana slices until they are evenly coated.

  4. Steam the cake. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan, keeping the layer about 3–4 cm deep. Set the pan over actively simmering water, cover and steam for about 35 minutes. Check the center; continue in 5-minute increments, up to about 45 minutes total, until the cake is translucent through the center and a skewer comes out without wet starch batter. Keep the lid on between checks and make sure the steamer does not boil dry.

  5. Start the coconut sauce. While the cake steams, combine the coconut milk, 30 g sugar and 2 g salt in a small saucepan. Heat gently, whisking, until steaming and the sugar dissolves; avoid a hard boil.

  6. Thicken the sauce. In a small bowl, stir 10 g tapioca starch with 25 ml cool water until smooth. Whisk the slurry into the warm coconut milk and cook gently for 1–2 minutes, stirring continuously, until glossy and lightly thickened. Remove from the heat and cover.

  7. Cool and chill. Remove the cake from the steamer and let it stop steaming for about 30 minutes. Refrigerate until fully set, moving it into the refrigerator within 2 hours of steaming. Toast the sesame in a dry pan over low heat, stirring, until fragrant; cool before serving.

  8. Slice and serve. Cut the chilled cake into 8 equal portions or small diamonds. Serve with the coconut sauce and toasted sesame. Refrigerate cake and sauce separately within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour above 32°C / 90°F; keep at or below 4°C / 40°F for 3–4 days. Reheat leftovers to 74°C / 165°F.

Practical

Practical

Practical guidance

The cake should be no deeper than about 4 cm in the pan. A deeper layer may need more steaming time, so use the translucent center and clean-skewer cues rather than the clock alone. A parchment lining makes it easier to lift out, but greasing the pan also works. Chill the cake before cutting; if it is still sticky or soft in the center, return it to the refrigerator until firm.

Troubleshooting

The cake is too soft to slice: it may be under-steamed or not chilled enough. Steam until the center is translucent, then chill until firm. The cake seems rubbery: the batter may have too much starch for the fruit or the slices may be too thin. Keep the measured ratio and slice the bananas evenly. The center remains cloudy: the layer may be too deep or the steamer heat too low. Keep the water simmering and continue steaming in 5-minute increments. The sauce is lumpy: whisk the starch slurry smooth with cool water before adding it, then stir continuously as it thickens.

Food safety

Wash hands and use a clean knife and board for the fruit. Steam the cake until fully set and translucent through the center. Use commercially packaged coconut milk and refrigerate opened packaging according to its label. Move the cake and sauce into the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour when the temperature is above 32°C / 90°F. Store at or below 4°C / 40°F for 3–4 days. Reheat leftovers to 74°C / 165°F; the cake may also be eaten chilled.

FAQ

Which bananas work best? Asian dwarf bananas, chuối xiêm or chuối sứ are good choices. Firm, ripe plantains or standard dessert bananas can work too; weigh them after peeling and avoid fruit that is already mushy. Can I make the cake without rice flour? Yes. Some Southern-style recipes use tapioca starch alone. The small amount of rice flour here gives a slightly softer, easier-to-cut crumb. Can I serve it warm? It can be eaten warm, but it is soft and harder to portion before chilling. Cooling and chilling help the cake set; serve the coconut sauce cool or gently warmed.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

  • Serving sizeOne eighth of the cake with coconut sauce and toasted sesame
  • CaloriesAbout 390 kcal
  • CarbohydrateAbout 77 g
  • ProteinAbout 3 g
  • FatAbout 10 g
  • FibreAbout 4 g
  • SodiumAbout 220 mg
Allergens

Allergens

Contains coconut and sesame. Check the tapioca starch, rice flour and coconut milk labels for added ingredients or cross-contact. Rice and tapioca are naturally gluten-free, but manufacturing practices vary.

A final note

A final note

  • Keep the cake and coconut sauce in separate covered containers so the cake does not become soggy.
  • Toast the sesame shortly before serving for the best aroma.
Vietnamese National Dishes

Vietnamese National Dishes

View recipe → →
Glossy black bánh gai on a plate, one cut open to show mung-bean and coconut filling, with sesame and two banana-leaf parcels behind.
Vietnamese National Dishes

Bánh gai Ninh Giang

These glossy, dark glutinous-rice cakes get their earthy color from cooked lá gai leaves. Each is wrapped around sweet mung bean, fresh coconut and small cubes of sugar-candied pork fat, then steamed in dried banana leaves and finished with sesame.

View recipe → →
Three bánh phu thê on a plate, two wrapped in green leaves and one cut open to show its golden papaya wrapper, mung-bean coconut filling, lotus seed and black sesame.
Vietnamese National Dishes

Bánh phu thê Đình Bảng

These paired Bắc Ninh cakes wrap a sweet mung-bean, coconut and lotus-seed center in a chewy yellow shell flecked with green papaya. A measured tapioca and glutinous-rice blend makes this home version practical while preserving the familiar layered-leaf parcel.

View recipe → →
A ceramic bowl of beef phở with rice noodles, sliced brisket, scallion and cilantro; herbs, lime, chili and chopsticks sit beside it.
Vietnamese National Dishes

Vietnamese Beef Phở (Phở Bò)

A clear, gently spiced beef broth with rice noodles and fresh herbs

View recipe → →