While salty bánh lọt (rice noodles) with coconut milk is quite familiar to people in Saigon, bánh lọt xào (stir-fried bánh lọt) remains relatively unknown. This dish originates from the land of ancient temples in Cambodia, was introduced to Hà Tiên, and has since become a signature specialty of this border region.
The short, soft, easy-to-swallow bánh lọt strands are made from rice flour mixed with a little tapioca starch. The process of making the strands for bánh lọt xào is similar to that for bánh lọt served with coconut milk.
Mix rice flour evenly with tapioca starch, then cook over low heat until the mixture thickens. Next, press the hot dough through a bánh lọt mold into a basin of cold water below. The strands will firm up upon contact with the cold water, becoming soft yet chewy. Finally, drain and mix the strands with pineapple color extract to give them a beautiful, appealing hue.
Ingredients:
- Bánh lọt (rice noodles)
- Eggs
- Pineapple color extract (for coloring the noodles)
- Beansprouts, garlic chives (hẹ)
- Shrimp or beef
- Roasted peanuts, green onions… and seasonings
How to make Bánh Lọt Xào
Peel and finely mince fresh shrimp, then marinate with a little seasoning. Sauté garlic until fragrant, then stir-fry the shrimp together with trimmed beansprouts and cut garlic chives.
Next, add oil to the pan and stir-fry the bánh lọt strands until they turn golden and aromatic. Add the shrimp-beansprout-chive mixture back in and adjust seasoning to taste. Finally, crack one or two chicken or duck eggs over the mixture—the eggs will create a beautiful golden color.
Plate the dish and sprinkle with roasted peanuts. Bánh lọt xào is best enjoyed with chili sauce or sweet & sour fish sauce dipping—delicious!
Bánh lọt xào tastes best when eaten hot. You’ll fully appreciate the fresh sweetness of the shrimp, the natural sweetness of garlic chives and beansprouts, and the nutty aroma from the roasted peanuts… The clear, soft, chewy strands stir-fried with shrimp, vegetables, and eggs make this an incredibly tempting street food during any trip to explore Hà Tiên, Kiên Giang.
In Hà Tiên, you can find this dish at many places for breakfast or afternoon snacks, priced between 30,000 – 50,000 VND per plate.
Once you’ve tried bánh lọt xào, its unique, fragrant, and delicious flavor will surely be unforgettable.
