Singapore, 07 Jan 2023

One of my besties came by my place during her weekend trip to unite with her boyfriend in Singapore. She gave me this package of “bánh xu xê,” also known as “bánh phu thê.” In my memory, it was a special treat only available at weddings – the signal of hope for a bright future, long-lasting happiness, and marital fidelity of the newlyweds. There is an old tale about the origin of this sweet treat, saying that it was first made by Queen Consort Chiêu Linh to send to her husband, King Lý Anh Tông, while he was on a battlefront. For that reason, it symbolizes the unshaken bond between the wife and the husband, thus, the name husband-and-wife cake. Of course, we can’t fact-check an orally recited story dating back to the 1100s, but we can all grasp its beautiful message ^◡^ At first, I thought this cake was only famous in the Northern provinces, but somehow most of the tutorial videos I found online were guided by a Southern person. Guess it’s a Vietnam thing now!

Many Vietnamese-styled “cakes” are available in two versions: sweet & savory. The savory cakes usually contain well-seasoned pork or shrimp fillings, while their counterparts come with sweet bean or lotus paste. Frankly, I’m more of a meat person than a vegan one, so I would prefer savory cakes more often if given choices. But for some reason, this “bánh xu xê” always has a nostalgic vibe and feels so special to me. I can quickly finish this 6-pieces box in one go. Not until I was done with my 4th cake did I realize I might as well take some photos for my blog since I loved it so much. So here we are.

The cakes look like jewels and taste like heaven. Even while the cakes were wrapped in plastic films, I could still smell the appealing aroma of the bean paste and coconut shreds. After unwrapping the cake, the fragrance became more intense, signaling my brain to get ready for some real-deal type of food. Then I took one bite. My poor English vocabulary can’t seem to describe to the full extent the delightfulness I had from the contrasting textures and the complimenting flavors and fragrance. But here’s a brief. You’ll get the chewy rice cake, crispy shredded coconut, and the buttery sweet bean paste. What a perfect combo, especially when the filling is not too sweet or overpowering other ingredients!

If you want to try it out, maybe you can search for this shop’s address on Google Maps: Do The Gia – No. 264 Vo Chi Cong, Tay Ho, Hanoi. The cakes are said to be freshly made and can keep at room temperature for approx. 3 days. Nowadays, the distance between Vietnam and Singapore is not an issue anymore. I’ll wait for the next time my besties bring me something incredible.

The Tet holiday is coming soon. I’m dying to head home for my family and the fantastic Hanoi cuisine!