Bánh Bột Chiên (Vietnamese Fried Rice Flour Cake)

Bánh bột chiên or bột chiên trúng (Vietnamese Fried Rice Flour Cake with Eggs) is crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. The fried rice flour cake is made by frying steamed rice flour cake cubes with eggs, scallions, and other seasonings. It is usually served with a sweet soy and vinegar dipping sauce and pickled carrots and daikon.

With its crunchy texture and delicious flavor profile, it's no wonder why it has become such a beloved favorite among locals and tourists alike! Not to mention, it was one of my favorite childhood dishes growing up.

What is bột chiên?

In Vietnamese, bột means "flour" and chiên means "fried." It is a popular Vietnamese dish that consists of fried rice cakes and eggs. The origin of the dish dates back to the early 20th century, around 1910 when it was first introduced by Chinese immigrants in Vietnam. Originating in the bustling port city of Hoi An, it has become a beloved street food staple throughout Vietnam.

The main ingredients are rice flour, salt, and water. When cooked in hot oil, the mixture forms a crispy golden-brown cake. To add flavor and texture, other ingredients such as pork fat, scallions, garlic, onions, and mung beans may be added to the mixture. The egg is usually added on top of the cake and fried until it has a light golden color.

The ingredients used to make this varies from region to region, but the main components remain the same – slices of rice cakes, beaten eggs, scallions, garlic, fish sauce, and sugar. Depending on where it is being made, other ingredients like shrimp, squid, pork sausage, or pork floss can be added to increase flavor.

Over time, bột chiên has seen many different variations from around the world, with slight changes in ingredients and methods of preparation. In Thailand, for example, the dish is made with thick slices of rice cakes stir-fried with eggs and vegetables, seasoned with fish sauce and sugar. In Hong Kong, it is served as a breakfast item, featuring small pieces of fried rice cake mixed with scrambled eggs. In the United States, some restaurants have even adapted the dish to include sausage or shrimp.

With a few simple ingredients and steps, it's easy to make bánh bột chiên at home, allowing you to enjoy this classic dish without ever having to leave your kitchen!

Ingredients Need

Notes about the ingredients:

• Rice Flour: Use white rice flour (also known as bột gạo or bột tẻ tinh khiêt in Vietnamese). This can be found at your local grocery store in the baking section or at an Asian supermarket. Do not use glutinous (or sweet) rice flour. This gives it a different texture.
• Tapioca Starch: If you can't find tapioca starch at the store, look for tapioca flour. It is essentially the same thing, but different brands name their products differently.
• Soy Sauce: I like using Maggi seasoning soy sauce but any brand of soy sauce will do.

How to Make it

Step 1: Pickle the carrots and daikon. In a jar or bowl, mix together carrots, daikon, white vinegar, sugar, and salt. Cover and set it aside, in the fridge, for later.

Step 3: Steam the rice flour cake. Grease two 6-inch pans with oil and divide the batter into each pan. Pat the batter down (Tip: cover with plastic wrap and press/smooth the batter down. Then, remove the plastic wrap. The plastic wrap prevents it from sticking to your hands). Cover the pans with foil. Use a steamer or a pot large enough to fit the pans, add 2 cups of water to the pot, place the pans in, and cover with a lid. Steam for 20 minutes. Once it is done steaming, let it cool off, take it out of the pan and place it in the fridge (for best results leave it in the fridge overnight or for at least 4-6 hours before cutting).

Step 4: Fry the rice flour cake with eggs. When ready to eat, cut the rice flour cakes into ½-inch strips, then cut the strips into 1 ½-inch cubes or rectangles. Season the rice cake cubes with ½ tablespoon of soy sauce. In a pan, over medium-high heat, add oil, and 1 cup of rice flour cakes. Fry the rice flour cake on one side for 2-3 minutes, until lightly golden and crispy. Then, flip the rice flour cakes, add more oil if needed, crack 2 eggs into the pan, and add the scallions on top. Lightly move the eggs around so that they can cook evenly. Let it cook until the eggs are cooked through, flip, if desired. Transfer it to a plate. Repeat this step for the rest of the rice flour cakes.

Step 5: Make the dipping sauce. In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar.

Serve. Garnish the rice flour cakes with scallions and serve it with a side of pickled carrots and daikon and dipping sauce.

Helpful Tips

• The size of the pan for steaming does not matter, choose a small enough pan that will fit inside your steamer and fill it between 1 to 1 ½-inch thickness (If it is too thick, it will take a long time to cook. If it is too thin, it will easily break apart). If you do not have a pot large enough to fit two pans at a time, cook one batch at a time.
• Grease the pan with oil or use parchment paper to line the pan.
• After pouring the rice flour cake batter into the pan, cover it with plastic wrap and press/smooth the batter down. Then, remove the plastic wrap. The plastic wrap prevents it from sticking to your hands. Another option is to wet your hands or a spatula to press it down.
• To test if the rice flour cakes are done cooking, use a toothpick to poke at the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, it means that it is done cooking. If some of the dough is sticking to the toothpick, return the pans back to the steamer and let it continue cooking.
• If possible, make the rice cakes the day before or at least 4-6 hours before you're ready to eat. The rice cakes will need some time to cool in the fridge before cutting.
• Use 2 eggs for every 1 cup of rice flour cake.

What to serve it with

These Vietnamese fried rice flour cakes are often served with a variety of accompaniments that can be tailored to personal preferences. Common sides include pickled vegetables, shredded lettuce and herbs, and a sweet and sour dipping sauce. Pickled daikon radishes and carrots provide a tart and salty flavor contrast to the savory cake. Fresh herbs like cilantro, mint, and Thai basil add a bright and refreshing note to the dish.

Buying Pre-made Rice Cakes

Making rice cake is the longest process in this recipe. Did you know that you can save some time by buying frozen or pre-made rice cakes?

Sometimes you can find pre-made rice cakes for bột chiên in the frozen section or refrigerated section of Vietnamese stores. If you live in the DMV (DC, MD, VA) area, you might have some luck finding it at Eden Center in Falls Church, VA.

Some Asian grocery stores will also carry "bột chiên" flour mix. All you have to do is follow the directions on the back of the package to steam.

If you can't find any of these, you can substitute the rice cakes for something else or you can make your own with the recipe in the recipe card 🙂

Rice Cake Substitutes:

• Korean Rice Cakes
• Taro Cakes
• Turnip Cakes

Got Leftovers?

Before storing, it’s important to cool the fried rice cakes completely and evenly as reheating them too quickly can cause sogginess. If possible, wrap each piece individually in cling wrap or parchment paper before storing it in an airtight container. This prevents it from sticking together. It can then be kept in the refrigerator for up to one week. When ready to eat, simply reheat in a pan over medium-high heat until it is hot and crispy again! If you have an air fryer, you can reheat it in there to crisp it up again.

Bột chiên is an easy, delicious, and versatile dish that is sure to please everyone. Whether you are serving it as an appetizer or a main course, this classic Vietnamese fried rice cake will be sure to impress! So why not give it a try today?

Have you tried this recipe? Leave a rating and comment below to let me know what you think!