Banh Tam Bi

Author : Efrain S.

Do you like noodles, friend? Do you like coconuts? Do you like milk? Heck, do you like cococut milk, too?

Then you are going to LOVE trying some Banh tam bi, which is what they serve around Vietnam for sweet noodles ( yum…just the thought of it gets me going….I LOVE sweet, milky noodles and highly suggest you go to your local Asian super – market or pho restaurant if you have not tried these ) . The noodles are quite thick, basically, and they get carefully served in a creamy coconut milk. Got your mouth watering yet, or do I need to go further? He heh. Allow me to…I will paint a perfect picture just for you ( and hopefully, you can start planning your next local Asian super – market run or such, he heh heh ) …..

So first of all, this dish is more common in Southern Vietnam, so where it’s really popular is there, if you ever make it out there. You will see it offered, most likely, in nearly every menu of scale. Every medium – to – large sort of eating establishment there should include it in its menu, to some degree. So rest assured. You can have plenty of it if you’re out there for a whole week or longer! Now, some serve this as a hybrid of thick rice in addition to soft, creamy ( visualize, he heh ) tapioca noodles. Get the picture? Sweet and sensational!!!!

Some throw in herbs and even pork, to sweeten things up. ( You’ve had sweet pork here in the U.S. before, have you not? It’s called “honey – glazed bbq”, ha ha hah ) And also, to add, some use coconut cream dressing instead of coconut milk, and the taste can vary based on how long they cook, the brand they go for, etc. It’s worth trying different types of Banh tam bi when you can, to see whose you like best ( and when ready, can even try buying the ingredients back at home and making some of your own….ooh. Yummy yummy! ) . These white noodles are usually squiggly and you can see them displayed on a sort of “food display glass cabinet” as some call it….you can see things being prepared, out there, and all is visible to you as they prepare it.

You can see what they’re doing and how, with the food, everything being very open and transparent out there in Vietnam. I told them how I wanted my Banh tam bi out there, and they prepared it in front of me just like that, which was awesome! They even held the pork, which I did not want, a certain time. And yet another time, they included it when I asked them to : It was truly delicious and served fast. I could not have been more pleased to have tried out this special dish and suggest it to anyone….give it a whirl. You just might LOVE it.