Millet cake – a speciality of Hanoi – Food – Travel

Millet cake – a speciality of Hanoi – Food – Travel

Hanoi Times – Millet cake is considered a snack in leisure time. Tiny millets are carefully sifted, sucked into lime water and boiled until it becomes solid and finally, it is spread o­n a piece ofgrilled pan cake.

In the era of economy integration, in order to attach customers, normal dishes needs a distinguished trademark or at least a typical geographical guide. In other words, a dish must be enclosed with name of a certain person or a place to make a strong impression o­n customers. However, there is a kind of simple food whose name is not attached with any brand name but wins Hanoians’favor: millet cake.

Millet cake is considered a snack in leisure time. Tiny millets are carefully sifted, sucked into lime water and boiled until it becomes solid and finally, it is spread o­n a piece ofgrilled pan cake,

whose size is depends o­n the amount of money customers wants to buy. o­n the millet layer is green bean layer. Green bean is spoilt, brayed smoothly and then fisted tightly. Thin yellowish green bean slices fall loosely under the knife of the vendor. Finally, the top thin layer is sugar.

The vendor uses the back of knife blade to foldthe finished millet cake. This “special sandwich” should be served immediately. The cracked piece of pancake and crunched sugar make a funny sound in the mouth. The strange taste of millet sucked into lime water is softened by the sweet of sugar and the fragrance of green bean and pancake.

In a twinkling of the eye, the cake lies still in the stomach. After getting small change money, the vendor continues strolling to other street corner. Although the customer desires to have some more, he has no choice but lick his lips and wait until the vendor comes back next time, because millet cake is not sold at any fixed food stall or restaurant. It is roadside food.

A millet cake seller travels o­n every street crying out with the moderate sound so that those who want to buy would call .This simple food makes people crave for in such a modest way. This food actually should have been called “sugar green bean millet cake” but customers prefer the brief name “millet cake”, like close friends often call each other by nickname without the full name.-

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