Bánh bèo is the Vietnamese steamed rice cake traditionally topped with scallions, mung beans or shrimp.
The cakes are made from a thin rice-flour batter steamed in small dishes or molds. Their name is commonly explained as referring to the cake’s shape, which resembles a water fern or floating lily pad. After steaming, cooks add toppings such as dried or fresh shrimp, mung-bean paste, scallion oil and crispy fried shallots. A sweet-salty fish sauce is usually spooned over the top.
Bánh bèo is especially associated with central Vietnam, including Huế, although versions are eaten elsewhere. In Huế, small individual dishes are a characteristic way to serve it, while regional preparations can differ in thickness, toppings and sauce. It is sometimes confused with bánh nậm, another central Vietnamese rice-flour cake; bánh nậm is typically flat and wrapped in banana leaves, whereas bánh bèo is steamed in small cups or dishes.
The dish can function as a snack, breakfast or part of a larger assortment of central Vietnamese small plates. Its soft rice base contrasts with savory toppings and crunchy garnishes.