Vietnamese cuisine, in fact Asian cuisine in general, is not particularly known out of the region for its sweets or desserts. The people who come on our tours are generally well-versed in the main features on Vietnam’s plates; the range of herbs, rice and noodles, the use of fish sauce. But get them to name a dessert and they struggle. So, on our wanders, not only do we eat savoury but we also seek out sweet.
Just north of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, we sit low to the pavement for a sugar fix. Out of a narrow alley comes a northern speciality known as sữa chua nếp cẩm, which translates roughly as yoghurt with fermented wild rice. This dessert house is a Hanoi institution run by some wily elders and a bunch of enthusiastic teenage boys.
The wild rice, predominately purple in colour, is cooked, covered and left to ferment for a period of days with the aid of men ngọt (sugar yeast/fungus), shorter in summer, longer in winter. Laid out in bamboo baskets on withered banana leaves, what eventuates is something akin to jam – minus the fruit, or with rice playing the role of fruit!
Dolloped on top of sweetened yoghurt, it gets delivered to customers. In Hanoi’s pulsating summer, a generous scoop of shaved ice adds another layer. All that is required of the customer is a rigorous stirring with the spoon. And, the enjoyment of the flavours – a slight twist of sour alcohol from the fermentation, the milkiness from the yoghurt, sweetness – a true dessert and a Hanoi tradition to boot!
A sweet stop with Purple glutinous rice
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