Bánh giầy

Bánh giầy(often be mistaken asbánh dầy,bánh dàyorbánh giày) is a Vietnamese traditional cake.Bánh giầyis a white, flat, and roundglutinousrice cake. They are wrapped in cut pieces of banana leaves. They are usually served with a type of Vietnamese sausagegiò lụa.Bánh giầycan be fried to a thin crispy golden crust or be eaten withgiò lụa. Another variation is calledbánh giầy đậu, where ground boiled mung bean (đậu xanh)—salted or sweetened—is stuffed inside. It is very similar to otherAsianglutinous ricecakes likeJapanesemochi,KoreantteokorChineselo mai chi.
EmperorHùng Vươnghad many sons. Some pursued literary careers. Others excelled in martial arts. The youngest prince, namedLang Liêu,however, loved neither. Instead, he and his wife and their children chose the countryside where they farmed the land.
One day, toward the end of the year, the emperor met with all his sons. He told them whoever brought him the most special and unusual food would be made the new emperor. Almost immediately, the princes left for their homes and started looking for the most delicious food to offer the emperor. Some went hunting in the forests and brought home birds and animals which they prepared into the most palatable dishes. Some others sailed out to the open sea, trying to catch fish, lobsters and other much loved sea food. Neither the rough sea nor the violent weather could stop them from looking for the best gifts to please the emperor.
In his search, Lang Liêuwent back to the countryside. He saw that the rice in his paddy fields was ripe and ready to be harvested, Walking by a glutinous rice field, he picked some golden grains on a long stalk. He brought them close to his nose and he could smell a delicate aroma.
His entire family then set out to harvest the rice, Lang Liêuhimself ground the glutinous rice grains into fine flour. His wife mixed it with water into a soft paste. His children helped by building a fire and wrapping the cakes with leaves. In no time, they finished, and in front of them lay two kinds of cakes: one was round and the other was square in shape.
The round cake was made with glutinous rice dough and was calledbánh dầyby Lang Liêu.He named the square shaped cakebánh chưngwhich he made with rice, green beans wrapped in leaves. Everybody was extremely happy with the new kind of cakes.
On the first day of spring, the princes took the gifts of their labor and love to the emperor. One carried a delicious dish of steamed fish and mushrooms. Another brought with him a roasted peacock and some lobsters. All the food was beautifully cooked.
When it was Lang Liêu'sturn to present his gifts, he carried thebánh chưngand his wife carried thebánh dầyto the emperor. Seeing Lang Liêu's simple offerings, other princes sneered at them. But after tasting all the food brought to court by his sons, the emperor decided that the first prize should be awarded to Lang Liêu.
The emperor then said that his youngest son's gifts were not only the purest, but also the most meaningful because Lang Liêuhad used nothing except rice which was the basic foodstuff of the people to make them. The emperor gave up the throne and make Lang Liêuthe new emperor. All the other princes bowed to show respect and congratulated the new emperor.