Cake Xiu Pao has a thin crust like Soc Trang pia cake and is filled with meat and eggs like salty dumplings with a particularly delicious taste.

Right from the early days following the Chinese community’s migration to Pho Khach (now Hoang Van Thu and Le Hong Phong streets), cake xiu pao has become the ultimate snack of the Nam Dinh people.

The pie crust is made entirely from flour, but it has to go through many stages, of which makes the crust is considered to be the decisive step in determining the success or failure of the batch.

The crust is made from flour (Photo: KC Food Shop)

Not only require the dexterity of hands when kneading the dough, the recipe mixes the ratio of flour to water so that when rolling, the crust must be very thin and even. Wheat flour is mixed with water, sugar, cooking oil and eggs, then let the dough rest for about 2 hours for the dough to have elasticity, then when baked, the cake will be soft and fragrant.

After dividing the dough into small parts, the baker will roll, knead and skillfully fold each layer of thin, smooth dough stacked on top of each other to create softness for the cake. Meticulously, the feat to create 8 layers of cake with the characteristic brown color of the honey cake is the secret of each family making cake xiu pao in the southern citadel.

8 layers of cake with typical honey brown color (Photo: Dang Hoang Ngan)

Before putting in the oven for about 40 minutes, bakers often add a layer of beaten oil with egg yolks so that the cake is cooked evenly and the color is eye-catching.

Many people mistakenly believe that cake xiu pao is deep-fried because of its characteristic fat and crispy crust. However, the cake xiu pao is cooked by heat in the oven, so the crust is crispy, the color of the cake is golden mixed with the greasy egg filling, bringing up the nose.

The pork belly is made from lean pork shoulder and pork belly (Photo: Hoa Hanh Blooming)

The ingredients for making xiao pao are usually pork, wood ear, shiitake mushrooms, lard and some typical spices such as basil, five spices, honey, oyster sauce, etc.

The filling is made from lean shoulder meat (used to make char siu) and pork belly to make the cake more greasy and delicious.

Pork is preliminarily cleaned, diced and then marinated with five flavors, oyster sauce, honey, soup powder, garlic, pepper… Particularly for the shoulder used to make char siu, mix minced wood ear mushrooms and onions. Beat and fry until the mixture turns dark brown.

Xiu Pao is more delicious when eaten hot (Photo Family’s Kitchen)

The original of Nam Dinh xiao pao usually uses salted egg filling, but it seems that this salty taste does not match the greasy taste of boiled eggs, so later, each cake is often “added” with a quarter of a boiled egg or half of a boiled egg. quail eggs to add more flavor.

The harmonious combination of ingredients in esoteric recipes has created a famous dish throughout the country. Although processing is a feat, it is “startlingly cheap” – only less than 10,000 VND / piece, providing enough nutrients with starch and protein in meat and eggs. The choice of cake xiu pao as a breakfast dish or a late afternoon snack is extremely reasonable.

The color of the yellow cake is mixed with greasy meat (Photo: Xiu Pao Du Du)

Xiu Pao is more delicious when eaten hot because the aroma stimulates the taste buds. You will feel the rich aroma of char siu meat, the greasy taste of fat, the pungent taste of pepper, the aroma of eggs mixed in the crust that is both crispy and soft, making it difficult for anyone to enjoy once. Forget the aftertaste.

If you have the opportunity to visit the Church area, Van Nhan alley or Ngong Ngang market, Dien Hong market, Dragon market … enjoy famous specialties of the South such as beef noodle soup, Kenh village roll cake, vermicelli, sticky rice ice cream, pate bread …, don’t forget to buy a dozen extra pounds of “dumpling shells, pies” as gifts for your loved ones!!!