banh it

Banh it is a sticky rice cake wrapped in banana leaf and cooked for several hours.  It’s generally accepted that this dish comes from the central regions of Vietnam.

There are savoury and sweet versions.  Today, I’m continuing my support of the elderly Vientamese ladies who have become street vendors in Cabramatta by buying a sweet banh it… last week it was sam bo luong, this week, it’s banh it. 

banh it

Unwrap the banana leaf and you find a triangular sticky rice dumpling that is gluggy, this version almost crunchy.  You can really taste the banana leaf flavour.  On the inside it’s a generous filling of yellow bean paste; just a tad too sweet for me, but Vietnamese sweets are notoriously high in sugar.

A delicious treat found right here, on the streets of Cabramatta!