"Xíu Báo" Cake - strange and intriguing dish in Nam Dinh

“Xíu báo” (or “Xíu páo”) is one of Chinese delicious and rustic dishes that you can try to enjoy in Nam Dinh province, Vietnam

Along with many delicious and strange dishes like stuffed sticky rice balls, “chí mà phù” (a kind of sweet gruel cooked with black sesame), “lục tàu xá” (a kind of sweet gruel cooked with green bean)…, “Xíu báo” is beloved by everybody.

Nobody knows when “Xíu báo” came to people in Nam Dinh, they just know that cake was sold on Chinese street and it has existed until now.

It was created thanks to the source of inspiration of steamed wheat flour cake and mid-autumn cake. Therefore many people said that the crust of “xíu báo” is like mid-autumn cake’s crust and its stuffing is like steamed wheat flour cake’s stuffing.

The stuffing of “Xíu báo” is made from griskin mixed with minced garlic, oyster sauce, honey and spices. The stuffing is fried until it turns dark red. Then it is cut into small pieces and mixed with wood ears, lard and a half of a boiled egg. In a “Xíu báo” cake, there is ¼ or ½ of a boild egg. It is up to the price.
 

Enjoying the cake, you will be attracted by the good smell and taste. The crust is aromatic and soft, the stuffing is greasy with the flavour of pork, pepper. All of ingredients make a different taste - you can feel spicy taste, sweet taste and salted taste in a cake.

There are many kind of "Xíu báo" sold in Nam Dinh province, especially in traditional bakeries on Hoang Van Thu street, Hang Sat....

Source:Travel.org.vn