Thanh Tri banh cuon is one of the most refined, elegant, and appealing dishes, embodying the quintessence of the culinary tradition of the Imperial Capital. Made from ordinary rice, the sheets are thin, translucent white, supple and fragrant, preserving intact the essence and natural aroma of rice.
The Thanh Tri banh cuon craft of Ha Noi has just been included by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List (under the category of Folk Knowledge and Traditional Handicrafts).
Thanh Tri banh cuon – a refined culinary specialty of Hanoi
The Decision announcing the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List clearly states that the Chairs of the People’s Committees at all levels in localities where the heritage exists are responsible for managing, safeguarding, and promoting the value of this traditional craft in accordance with the law. At the same time, efforts should be strengthened to transmit the craft to younger generations, promote products through tourism and e-commerce, and build the “Thanh Tri banh cuon” brand as a representative cultural culinary symbol of the Capital.
Thanh Tri banh cuon is one of the most refined, elegant, and appealing dishes, deeply imbued with the culinary essence of the Imperial Capital. From simple ingredients such as rice, fried shallots, and fish sauce, skilled artisans have created wafer-thin, soft sheets fragrant with the aroma of new rice, bringing out a distinctive traditional flavor found nowhere else. Thanh Tri banh cuon contains no borax or preservatives.
Thanh Tri banh cuon is made from ordinary rice
Photo by: @huonggchanel
Thanh Tri banh cuon comes in two types: banh cuon la (consisting of wafer-thin sheets with a small amount of fragrant fried scallions) and banh cuon nhan thit (consisting of wafer-thin sheets filled with minced meat, wood ear mushrooms, and dried shallots). When enjoying Thanh Tri banh cuon, it is commonly eaten with cinnamon pork sausage, coriander, fried shallots, and a bowl of dipping sauce balancing sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors, enriched with the distinctive aroma of ca cuong. This refined and appealing dish leaves a lasting impression after just one taste.
In 2015, Thanh Tri banh cuon was recognized by the Intellectual Property Office and granted the Decision recognizing the collective mark “Thanh Tri banh cuon”.
The inscription of Thanh Tri banh cuon on the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List is an important milestone for preserving, honoring, and more widely promoting the unique cultural and culinary values of the craft village, contributing to enriching the culinary heritage of the Capital. At the same time, this provides a basis for Ha Noi to connect and develop craft village tourism, creating sustainable livelihoods for local residents.
Thanh Binh