A woman makes banh cuon at Ben Thanh Market in downtown Ho Chi Minh City

Steamed rice rolls come in all shapes and sizes, each version representing the culture and spirit of a different region.

Banh cuon, or steamed rice rolls, is one of Vietnam’s most ubiquitous rice-derivatives.

The rolls are made by grinding white rice and mixing it with water to create rice batter. A pot with a thin piece of cloth covering it is put to boil on the stove. The watery batter is then poured on the surface of the cloth and spread wide and thin to make a sheet of what looks like rice “paper.”

The rice sheet needs to be as thin as possible. It is then taken off the cloth and rolled with various fillings, depending on where you eat it.

In each region, namely the north, south and central areas of Vietnam, the steamed rice roll has its own recipe, ingredients and flavors.

In Hanoi, customers often enjoy banh cuon rolled with minced meat and peziza, an edible mushroom-like fungus. The dish is served with fried shallots, nuoc mam (fish sauce) and Vietnamese pork sausage.

In the central town of Hue city, the rice sheets are rolled with grilled pork. The dish is served with fish sauce infused with the essence of ca cuong (giant water bug) for extra flavor.

Hue’s other version of the roll, known as banh uot tom chay (steamed rice roll with dried ground shrimp), is popular for the little bit of shrimp powder sprinkled on the surface of the dish.

There are two versions of banh cuon in the south.

The first version is similar to that served in the north.

The second version is vegetarian and rolled without filling, served with fried shallots, scalded bean sprout, cucumber and herbs. The rolls are then dipped in a concoction of fish sauce, garlic, lemon, chili and sugar. The sauce needs to be a little salty and both sweet and sour.

Whatever the color and flavor, banh cuon is a lasting favorite throughout Vietnam and more and more foreigners are making it part of their diet.

Besides traditional versions of banh cuon, an increasing number of modern versions of the dish have appeared in recent years, including steamed rolls stuffed with pate, chicken, salted pork and scallops.

Reported by Nguyet Anh