Name: Bánh căn Phan Thiết
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 115 min
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 300 g fine white rice flour; 60 g plain cooked white rice, cooled safely; 450 ml cool water; 2 g fine salt; 5 ml neutral oil for the pan; 15 ml neutral oil; 25 g scallions, thinly sliced; 18 quail eggs; 300 g round scad (cá nục) fillets, cut into pieces; 300 g ground pork; 8 g cornstarch; 20 ml cool water for the pork balls; 200 g ripe tomatoes, diced; 20 g shallot, minced and divided; 10 g garlic, minced; 35 ml fish sauce; 15 g granulated sugar; 1 g ground black pepper, divided; 5 g fresh red chili, finely sliced (optional); 900 ml water for the broth; 120 g firm green mango, peeled and finely shredded

A wide Phan Thiết bánh căn spread with paired rice cakes, a bowl of tomato and scad broth with pork meatballs and quail eggs, and shredded mango. — Rice cakes, savory fish broth, pork xíu mại and tart mango make a complete Phan Thiết-style serving.

Yield 6 servings, 36 mini cakes

Cook About 45 minutes

Passive 30 minutes

Total About 1 hour 55 minutes

Calories per serving About 540 kcal

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Bánh căn Phan Thiết

Bánh căn are small rice cakes cooked in covered clay cavities over strong heat. In Phan Thiết, they are commonly served in pairs with scallion oil and a savory fish-based dipping bowl; regional accounts describe braised cá nục, xíu mại, quail eggs and green mango among the accompaniments. The exact toppings and batter vary by cook and shop.

This home version uses fine rice flour blended with a little safely cooled cooked rice, rather than requiring a wet mill for soaked whole rice. The cakes are lightly oiled and cooked in covered cavities until the bottoms turn golden and the tops set. A hot tomato-and-scad broth with small pork meatballs, boiled quail eggs and tangy green mango makes a full serving.

Practical

Tips for successBlend the cooled cooked rice thoroughly with the water so the batter stays smooth. Rest the batter for 30 minutes, then stir it before each batch. Preheat the covered clay or mini-pancake pan and use only a light film of oil. Fill the cavities about two-thirds full and keep the lid on while the cakes cook. Cook fish and ground-pork meatballs to their separate safe temperatures; do not judge them by color alone.

Ingredients

Rice cakes

300 g fine white rice flour
60 g plain cooked white rice, cooled safely
450 ml cool water
2 g fine salt
5 ml neutral oil for the pan

Scallion oil

15 ml neutral oil
25 g scallions, thinly sliced

Fish broth and accompaniments

18 quail eggs
300 g round scad (cá nục) fillets, cut into pieces
300 g ground pork
8 g cornstarch
20 ml cool water for the pork balls
200 g ripe tomatoes, diced
20 g shallot, minced and divided
10 g garlic, minced
35 ml fish sauce
15 g granulated sugar
1 g ground black pepper, divided
5 g fresh red chili, finely sliced (optional)
900 ml water for the broth
120 g firm green mango, peeled and finely shredded

Method

Make the batter. Blend the cooled cooked rice with 450 ml water until smooth. Whisk in the rice flour and salt. Cover and rest for 30 minutes; stir again before cooking.
Prepare the eggs and pork balls. Boil the quail eggs until firm, about 4 minutes after the water returns to a boil. Cool in cold water and peel. Mix the pork with cornstarch, 20 ml water, half the shallot and half the pepper. Shape into 18 small balls and refrigerate while you make the broth.
Start the broth. In a medium saucepan, cook the tomatoes, remaining shallot, garlic and chili over medium heat until softened. Add 900 ml water, fish sauce and sugar; bring to a simmer.
Cook the fish and meatballs safely. Add the scad and simmer gently until opaque and at least 63°C / 145°F at its thickest part. Lift the fish out with a slotted spoon. Add the pork balls and simmer until each reaches 71°C / 160°F in the center. Return the fish to the broth and keep hot.
Make scallion oil. Warm 15 ml oil in a small pan until hot but not smoking. Pour it over the sliced scallions and set aside.
Heat the cake pan. Preheat the covered bánh căn pan according to its instructions. Lightly brush the cavities with a little of the 5 ml oil.
Cook the cakes in batches. Stir the batter, fill each cavity about two-thirds full, cover and cook until the bottoms are golden and the tops are set, about 2–3 minutes per batch. Adjust the timing to your pan and heat. Release with a small wooden pick or heat-safe tool. Cook all the batter; the centers should be steaming hot with no wet batter. Pair the cakes and finish with scallion oil.
Serve. Give each person 6 cakes, a bowl of hot broth with one-sixth of the fish and meatballs, 3 quail eggs and shredded green mango. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 32°C / 90°F; keep at or below 4°C / 40°F for 3–4 days. Reheat broth and leftovers to 74°C / 165°F.

Practical

Practical guidance

A covered terracotta bánh căn pan gives the closest home result. A covered mini-pancake pan with individual wells can work; a flat skillet will make a different cake. Keep the batter pourable but not watery. If it thickens as it sits, stir well before the next batch rather than adding extra water immediately.

Troubleshooting

The cakes stick: Preheat the cavities and brush on a very thin film of oil before each batch. The centers stay wet: Fill the wells less deeply, keep the lid on and cook a little longer over steady heat. The cakes turn tough: The batter may be too thick or the cakes overcooked; stir the batter and shorten the next batch slightly. The broth tastes too salty: Add a little hot water and more tomato; avoid adding salt before tasting the fish sauce.

Food safety

Use cooked rice that was cooled promptly and kept refrigerated. Keep raw fish and pork cold and separate. Cook the fish to 63°C / 145°F and the ground-pork balls to 71°C / 160°F. Boil quail eggs until firm and cook the cakes until steaming hot with no wet batter. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, or 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.

FAQ

Can I use a flat pan instead of a bánh căn mold? You can cook the batter in a flat pan, but it will not have the same small round shape or paired texture. A covered mini-pancake pan with wells is a closer substitute. Can I make the batter from whole rice? Yes. Some regional methods soak and grind rice; that takes longer and may use a different rice ratio. This measured home version uses rice flour and cooked rice for convenience. Is the fish broth the same as plain nước mắm? No. This version cooks tomato and cá nục into a warm dipping broth, then serves it with pork balls and eggs.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Serving size6 cakes with broth, fish, pork balls, 3 quail eggs and mango
CaloriesAbout 540 kcal
CarbohydrateAbout 53 g
ProteinAbout 26 g
FatAbout 24 g
FibreAbout 2 g
SodiumAbout 800 mg

Allergens

Contains fish, fish sauce and eggs; also contains pork. Check fish sauce, rice flour and cornstarch labels for additional ingredients or cross-contact. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but product handling varies.

A final note

Pair the cakes two at a time and spoon the broth accompaniments into individual bowls.
Keep extra cakes and broth covered and refrigerated promptly.

Bánh căn Phan Thiết

Practical

Ingredients

Rice cakes

Scallion oil

Fish broth and accompaniments

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Troubleshooting

Food safety

FAQ

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Allergens

A final note

Vietnamese National Dishes

Bánh chuối hấp nước cốt dừa

Bánh gai Ninh Giang

Bánh phu thê Đình Bảng