Gat gu cake in Quang Ninh

The coastal province of Quang Ninh is known for specialties like cha muc Ha Long (fried squid paste), tu hai (snail) in Van Don and sa sung (sea worm) in Quan Lan and ruou mo (apricot wine) in Yen Tu. A visit to the locality helped me find banh gat gu (cake) in Tien Yen District.
The name of the cake in Vietnamese means satisfaction. According to locals, the cake which is shaped in a long roll and made from rice powder (similar to the materials used to make pho) is served with fish sauce and is a popular treat for young and old. It was created by residents selling pho (Vietnamese noodles) in the locality.

To create it you have to soak rice with water overnight and grind it into liquid. Then mix the liquid with cooked rice to have the sticky and soft cake. Next you pour the liquid onto a mould and cover with a lid. After that you use a bamboo stick to roll the cake into long shapes. A secret to the perfection of this dish is a mixture made from fish sauce steamed with chicken fat, onion and chili to have a cheesy, delicious smell.

Nowadays, people in Tien Yen still enjoy the cake at major events like weddings or guests’ visits and they usually add mince meat or steamed meat into the sauce.

Those who have a chance to visit Quang Ninh should pass by Tien Yen to savor the unique gat gu cake.

Source SGT