• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Savory Sweet Spoon

  • Recipe Index
  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • Air Fryer Recipes
  • About Me
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • Air Fryer Recipes
  • About Me
×

Bánh Bột Chiên (Vietnamese Fried Rice Flour Cake)

Published: January 10, 2023 · Last Modified: January 18, 2023

Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

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.

A plate of bot chien with pickled carrots and daikon on top and dipping sauce on the side.

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

Ingredients needed for bot chien: rice flour, tapioca flour, water, salt, eggs, soy sauce, dipping sauce, pickled carrots and daikon, and scallions.

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 2: Make the rice flour cake batter. 

  • Stovetop Version: In a saucepan, whisk together the rice flour, tapioca starch, 2 ½ cups of water, vegetable oil, and salt. Turn the heat on medium and let it simmer for 5-6 minutes, stirring consistently, until a smooth paste forms. Once it starts boiling or thickening at the bottom, turn off the heat and add the remaining ½ cup of water. Whisk until there are no longer clumps. The final consistency should resemble mashed potatoes.
  • Microwave Version: In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together rice flour, tapioca starch, all of the water, vegetable oil, and salt. Microwave for 2 minutes, stir, and then do 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until a smooth wet paste forms.
Heating up the rice flour, tapioca flour, salt, and water (rice flour cake batter) in a pan.

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).

Process of cutting the rice flour cakes into cubes, seasoning the rice flour cakes with soy sauce, and placing them into the pan.

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.

Process of frying the rice flour cakes with eggs and scallions.

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.

Plate of bot chien (Vietnamese fried rice cakes) with sides of pickled carrots and daikon, dipping sauce, chopped scallions, and red peppers.

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.

A plate of bot chien with pickled carrots and daikon on top and dipping sauce on the side.

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?

A plate of bot chien with pickled carrots and daikon on top and dipping sauce on the side.

Vietnamese Fried Rice Flour Cake (Bột Chiên)

Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keyword: Bánh Bột Chiên, Bột Chiên, Rice Flour Cake, Vietnamese Fried Rice Flour Cake
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Resting Time: 4 hours
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 329kcal
This is classic Vietnamese street food. This recipe shows you how to make your own steamed rice flour cake. The bột chiên is made by frying rice flour cake with eggs, scallions, and soy sauce. Served it with a sweet soy and vinegar dipping sauce and pickled carrots and daikon.
Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Rice Flour Cake

  • 2 cups rice flour
  • 3 tablespoons tapioca starch
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For Frying the Rice Flour Cakes

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce, divided
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 6 eggs
  • 2 spring onions, chopped

For the Pickled Vegetables

  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 cup shredded daikon or green papaya
  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the Dipping Sauce

  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sugar

Instructions

  • 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.
  • Make the rice flour cake batter.
    Stovetop Version: In a saucepan, whisk together the rice flour, tapioca starch, 2 ½ cups of water, vegetable oil, and salt. Turn the heat on medium and let it simmer for 5-6 minutes, stirring consistently, until a smooth paste forms. Once it starts boiling or thickening at the bottom, turn off the heat and add the remaining ½ cup of water. Whisk until there are no longer clumps. The final consistency should resemble mashed potatoes.
    Microwave Version: In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together rice flour, tapioca starch, all of the water, vegetable oil, and salt. Microwave for 2 minutes, stir, and then do 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until a smooth wet paste forms.
  • 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).
  • 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.
  • 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.

Notes

  • The size of the pan for steaming does not matter, choose a small enough pan that will fit inside your steamer and fill it to 1-inch thickness (if it is too thick, it will take a long time to cook). 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.
  •  
  •  
  •  

Nutrition

Calories: 329kcal

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

More Vietnamese Recipes

  • Pâté Chaud (Bánh Patê Sô / Vietnamese Meat Pastries)
  • Xíu Mại (Vietnamese Meatballs)
  • Vietnamese Caramel Sauce (Nước Màu)
  • Thịt Kho (Vietnamese Braised Pork and Eggs)

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ieva

    January 17, 2023 at 6:00 am

    5 stars
    What a fun recipe! We followed your stovetop method and the cake turned out amazing! Cannot wait to try it with various different flavours!

    Reply
  2. Biana

    January 16, 2023 at 10:29 pm

    5 stars
    This looks like such a fun recipe to make for brunch! Great with fried eggs, and a cup of tea.

    Reply
  3. Sara Welch

    January 16, 2023 at 5:42 pm

    5 stars
    This was such a unique and unexpected recipe! Quick, easy and delicious; easily, a new favorite dish!

    Reply
  4. Jacqueline Debono

    January 15, 2023 at 10:34 am

    5 stars
    I love making recipes from other countries, when I can find the ingredients (not always possible here in Italy!) However I managed to find everything I needed for these rice flour cakes and really enjoyed both making and eating them!

    Reply
  5. Chenee Lewis

    January 14, 2023 at 11:44 pm

    5 stars
    This is our new favorite! So delicious and simple to make!

    Reply
  6. Dionne

    January 11, 2023 at 2:25 pm

    5 stars
    This is exactly what I have been looking for! Fantastic cake and just what I need to wow my family with!

    Reply
  7. Stephanie

    January 11, 2023 at 12:33 pm

    5 stars
    When I first saw the picture, I thought those were fried ravioli, but now I'm definitely intrigued. I also love the flavor of rice, eggs, and soy sauce together. And the egg is cooked through, which is something I always insist on. I will definitely be trying this one!

    Reply
  8. Dannii

    January 11, 2023 at 11:36 am

    5 stars
    I adore Vietnamese food and this was incredible. Such a lovely flavour and simple to make too.

    Reply
  9. TAYLER ROSS

    January 11, 2023 at 11:27 am

    5 stars
    I made this banh bot chien for dinner last night and it was incredible! We will definitely be making it again!

    Reply
  10. SHELBY LEWIS

    January 10, 2023 at 10:58 pm

    5 stars
    Love this delicious and nourishing recipe. Thank you!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Quynh!  I'm a busy mom who loves sharing all the recipes I create in my kitchen! My recipes are made with busy families and young kids in mind.

More about me →

Popular

  • Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast
  • Instant Pot Beef Stew
  • Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
  • Instant Pot Japanese Curry
  • Instant Pot Arroz Con Leche (Rice Pudding)
  • Air Fryer Broccoli (Fresh and Frozen)

Footer

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact
  • Services
  • Media Kit
  • FAQ

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2020 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme