A spicy bite for the rainy season

Snacking on street food has long been a part of Ho Chi Minh City’s culture and one local favorite, especially in the cooler rainy season, is banh cay (spicy cake).

The small crispy golden cakes cost less than VND10,000 (56 U.S. cents) for three or four pieces.

They are especially popular after a rain shower, which can reduce the temperature in HCMC by up to 10 degrees. The freshly-fried chili-chipped cakes are considered a great way to warm up.

Banh cay, also a popular drinking snack, is relatively simple to make. The biggest challenge is seasoning it correctly.

A good pastry should be spicy – not so strong that it brings tears to the eyes but not so bland that chili sauce is needed.

The first step in making banh cay is to soak the main ingredient, cassava, in water to remove the naturally-occurring cyanide.

The cassava is made into flour, which is mixed with saffron and spices, included ground red chilies, and water to make a batter.

The banh cay batter is kept until an order is placed. Then, big toe-sized pieces of batter is deep-fried until golden.

Banh cay is a popular snack with locals and foreigners alike, especially Koreans who enjoy spicy food.

Some of HCMC’s most popular banh cay stalls have been selling the spicy snacks for many years on Tran Quoc Thao and Ky Dong streets in District 3 and at the Pham Van Hai Market in Tan Binh District.

With many Koreans living nearby, the banh cay stalls at the Pham Van Hai Market are crowded all day long