Nha Trang Province may be famous for its immaculate beaches, but its food is also something which needs to be explored, particularly its banh uot dien khanh - a unique, addictive taste which is definitely world class.

Banh uot, literally meaning steamed thin rice pancakes, can be found at Dien Khanh, one of Nha Trang’s most popular tourist sites. It is sold by shops along the 1A Highway thus earning the street the name Banh Uot Dien Khanh for over 50 years now. There are two versions of preparing the dish, suburban and downtown, the former being the traditional and more delicious. In the suburban version, the pancakes contain salted and shredded shrimp and fried onions with dipping sauce made from mam nem (a type of fish sauce made from small fish or small shrimp). Old recipes used fresh sea fish ca bo (tuna or amberjack) for sauce wherein its insides are soaked with salt. It is fermented for three days and then sundried for another three days until it becomes a thick liquid with a one-of-a-kind smell. A special blend of fried onions, garlic, spice and mam ruot also makes an awesome dipping sauce. Using mam nem usually produces a fishy odor, something which diners don’t really like. Adding minced mangoes and small chili balances out the smell and taste.

In the far-flung villages of Thanh Minh and Phu Loc, banh uot is made differently, with a dipping sauce made from fermented fresh pony fish, giving the dish a unique sweet flavor. On the first and middle days of the lunar month, soya sauce is used and made especially for vegetarians. This is made by quick frying minced citronella, tomato, fresh herbs and spice. The result is a distinct nutty taste.

Banh uot can also be found at a diner near the Ong Bo Bridge on the Nha Trang – Thanh Road. Here, diners have a variety of choices of aromatic flavor dipping sauces of mam ruot and mam nem.

Banh uot only costs VND5,000, a very reasonable price considering its extraordinary taste and rich history. Pancake makers have expressed their concern over the current situation, stating that modernization has caused traditional banh uot making to become a dying industry. When you’re in Nha Trang then, make sure to taste this delightful dish, hoping that tourists who look for it and local residents patronizing the traditional pancake will revive it and continue to be a delicious part of Vietnamese culture for eternity.