Located at 90 De To Hoang Street, Hai Ba Trung District, the banh troi tau (glutinous rice balls) stall belonging to Van, 57, has been a familiar address among local street-food-eaters for nearly 30 years. Although there is no name or sign, one can easily recognize her spot because of the long row of customers waiting in line.
Van (pictured) inherited her recipe for glutinous rice balls comes from her husband's family tradition. She has been selling it now for 28 years. For the first 7 to 8 years, she used to carry her goods and sell them along Hue Street. But starting in the early 2000s, she has been selling exclusively at the current address.
Van's setup is quite simple, featuring a pot of cooked glutinous rice balls and soup, still piping hot. The strong aroma of ginger and black sesame spreads along the narrow De To Hoang Street.
Ingredients to make the glutinous rice balls include glutinous rice flour, green beans, black sesame, ginger, and sugar.
To make the outer layer, Van mixes the rice flour with water, kneads it into a soft and smooth dough until it does not stick. The dough is rested for about half an hour, then is divided into small balls of equal weight.
Van said she makes her green bean paste by soaking the beans in water for 3 to 4 hours before simmering in a pot. Once softened, they're cooked on low heat with sugar until it dissolves. Grated coconut is then added, and the mixture is left to cool before being divided into small round fillings. For the black sesame filling, roasted sesame is pureed, combined with a bit of water and sugar, and gently cooked on low heat.
"What sets my rice balls apart from other places is that we have a savory option," Van said. The savory glutinous rice ball comes from the suggestion of an older guest on the first days of opening. Van then came up with the recipe herself.
The savory rice balls feature ground pork mixed with chopped shiitake mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms, marinated with pepper. Van uses a spoon to scoop each meatball, dropping it into the pot of hot water until fully cooked.
Van molds the dough balls, positions the filling in the center, and carefully wraps the rice balls to hide the edges. Then, she boils them lightly in hot water until they float. After that, Van removes the rice balls and soaks them in cold water to prevent sticking.
According to Van, it is the flavor of the sugar water that distinguishes each glutinous rice ball stall apart. To achieve a fragrant sugar water, Van combines ginger with molasses sugar cane, resulting in a dark brown color akin to honey. Once the sugar water reaches a boil, she adds all the balls and simmers them until they float on the surface and are thoroughly cooked.
When a customer orders, Van uses a ladle to transfer each rice ball into a bowl. Despite placing all the rice balls in the same pot, Van has her own way of telling each type apart.
Each bowl costs VND20,000 (80 cents) with three balls, sugar water, adding fresh coconut fibers, and a spoon of black sesame, crushed roasted peanuts sprinkled above.
A bowl of glutinous rice balls is dark brown in sweet sugar, slightly thick, with the pungent smell of ginger and the fragrance of black sesame.
"Holding a bowl of hot glutinous rice balls can instantly ward off the cold Hanoi afternoons," Vu Quynh Chi, a 28-year-old diner from Hai Phong shared.
Van's rice balls are on the larger side, measuring about 3-4 centimeters in diameter. Diners may find it challenging to consume them in a single bite.
When biting into the ball, diners experience a combination of chewy sticky rice and sweet sugar water. The flavor is elevated by the presence of coconut, roasted peanuts, and black sesame. Sipping a teaspoon of sugar water brings an instant warmth to the throat due to the spicy ginger taste. This warmth, along with the sweetness of the sugar water, lingers, and helps diminish the winter cold.
Van's sugar water is quite sweet but not harsh, diners can savor the whole bowl without feeling uncomfortable in the throat.
In addition to glutinous rice balls with three different flavors, Van also sells hot cassava sweet soup (R) containing sticky rice, molasses, and ginger.
The cassava treat is only sold in the winter, featuring coconut tapioca pearls, steamed cassava, coconut milk, and green bean. A bowl of cassava sweet soup costs VND20,000.
Opening every day at 3:30 p.m., the stall attracts customers eager to make purchases as soon as it opens. With the onset of Hanoi's cold weather, this dish sells even more quickly. On average, she sells over 1,000 rice balls daily.
Van mentioned, "Though we claim to be open until 6:30 p.m., we're often sold out within just an hour and a half to two hours."
The glutinous rice balls are a beloved snack enjoyed by people of all ages. At Van's stall, you'll find diners ranging from adults to young individuals.
It is noted that the shop only accepts cash. Due to being on a small road, the shop has no parking space. Visitors come to find a parking space on the opposite side of the road and pay attention to observe and ensure personal property.
The peak hour at the shop typically begins after 4 p.m. If you plan to purchase a large quantity, it's suggested to book in advance to ensure enough rice balls and avoid long waits.
