Hanoians prepare floating cakes to celebrate cold food festival

Every household prepares “Bánh trôi", floating cakes made of bits of brown sugar wrapped in glutinous rice paste and cooked by scalding in boiling water, and "Bánh chay", glutinous rice balls with mung beans filling and served in fragrant sweet soup, both of which are offered to their ancestors during the cold food festival (Tết hàn thực).

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Sticky rice balls are sold by shops throughout many of the capital’s traditional markets, including Thanh Ha, Hang Be, and Cau Dong markets.

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Wet markets are bustling on the morning of April 10 as locals prepare floating cakes to worship their ancestors during the cold food festival.

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“Bánh trôi” are small white balls made of glutinous rice flour with pieces of brown sugar inside, while “Bánh chay” are bigger and filled in with green bean paste.

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It is estimated that each business consumes 80 kg to 100 kg of rice powder each day in order to make the floating cakes.

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Shops have in stock ready-made cakes, as well as the right ingredients to make fresh cakes for customers.

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A trader working at Thanh Ha market shares that her family often stay up all night to make enough cakes in order to meet demands from consumer these days.

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A plate of “Bánh trôi" and a bowl of "Bánh chay" costs anywhere from VND15,000 to VND20,000.

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Traditionally, these cakes are white with a sugary taste, although talented cooks can make them more colourful and palatable by adding food colouring or flavouring to the dough.