Banh Trang Tron – Vietnamese Rice Paper Salad Recipe
Vietnamese Rice Paper Salad, or Banh Trang Tron, is one of the most popular snacks in Saigon with young people. The combination of chewy and crunchy rice paper strips, slightly sour unripe mango and kumquat juice, spicy shrimp salt, fragrant Vietnamese coriander, and tasty boiled quail eggs or beef jerky makes Banh Trang Tron a special dish crafted from rice paper.
What is Banh Trang Tron (Vietnamese Rice Paper Salad)?
I fell in love with Banh Trang Tron when I was a freshman at a university in Saigon, and even after graduating and entering the workforce, I continued to indulge in it almost every week. There are numerous reasons for my affection towards this dish. Firstly, it’s incredibly affordable, typically priced at only 10-20k VND (roughly 50 cents to 1 USD) per bag. Moreover, its delicious and intriguing flavors captivated me. Nearly every young person I know shares the same feeling about this dish, regardless of gender. Let me introduce you to Banh Trang Tron and its components.
What is Banh Trang Tron?
Banh Trang Tron is a ubiquitous street food in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), located in the southern region of Vietnam. Inside a bag of rice paper salad, along with the rice paper strips, Tay Ninh Shrimp Salt, and kumquat juice serve as the main ingredients. Additional components include unripe mango, Vietnamese coriander (rau răm), roasted peanuts, fried shallots, beef jerky, dried squid, quail eggs, fried pork rinds, and more, each adding its unique flavor profile.
While its exact origins and rise to popularity remain unclear, it has become universally recognized as a must-try street food when visiting the city. Interestingly, Cu Chi District, a suburb of Ho Chi Minh City, and the nearby Tay Ninh Province, are renowned for producing rice papers. It’s likely that this abundant resource contributed to the creation of Banh Trang Tron, where rice paper strips are mixed with other ingredients to become a salad.
The beauty of Banh Trang Tron lies in its flexibility; you can easily request customization from any street vendor, whether it’s adjusting the level of spiciness, adding more mango, increasing the number of quail eggs, or omitting certain ingredients like dried squid. Isn’t that great?
Homemade Vietnamese Rice Paper Salad Recipe
Not only is Banh Trang Tron a delectable street food, but it’s also an accessible dish to recreate and savor at home. Additionally, homemade Vietnamese rice paper salad can offer the benefits of being healthier and more hygienic compared to purchasing it from a random street vendor. Let’s explore a simple recipe to prepare a bag of Banh Trang Tron in the comfort of your own kitchen:
- 60g (~2 oz) rice paper strips
- 60g (~2 oz) unripe mango, julienned
- 1 1/2 tsp Tay Ninh Shrimp Salt
- 1 1/2 tsp kumquat/lemon/lime juice
- 1 1/2 tsp water
- 1/2 tsp sacha sauce (optional)
- 4 quail eggs
- A handful of beef jerky and/or dried squid
- A handful of Vietnamese Coriander
- A handful of fried pork rinds (chicharron)
From my own experiences with preparing this dish at home, I’ve found that the most challenging ingredient to locate is the rice paper strips. While rice papers are commonly available, they typically come in whole round or square sheets rather than pre-cut strips. If you’re unable to find them in strip form, your only option is to manually cut the whole rice papers (typically used for making spring rolls) into strips, albeit this may require additional time and effort.
When it comes to protein, the choice is versatile. You can opt for whichever options are readily available or your personal favorites, and omit those you don’t prefer. Vietnamese coriander and sacha sauce are commonly found in Vietnamese or Asian food stores, making them accessible for most individuals.
Making Banh Trang Tron
Your step-by-step guide is detailed and clear, making it easy to follow. Here it is refined for clarity:
Step 1. Preparation
- If rice paper strips aren’t available, cut rice papers into 1-1.5 cm (0.4-0.6 inch) strips.
- Prepare other ingredients: julienne unripe mango, wash Vietnamese coriander, boil quail eggs, and slice kumquat/lemon or lime. Gather all necessary ingredients.
Step 2. Mixing rice paper strips
- In a mixing bowl, combine rice paper strips, Tay Ninh Shrimp salt, and sacha sauce (if using). Add kumquat/lime/lemon juice and spray water onto the mixture.
- Wear a glove on one hand and mix with the other hand holding the bowl. Mix until the rice paper strips soften and have a slight yellow color.
Step 3. Adding other ingredients
- Add mango, beef jerky, pork rinds, dried squid, etc., except for quail eggs and Vietnamese coriander, which are soft and could be crushed while mixing. Then, add quail eggs.
- Cut Vietnamese coriander into smaller pieces with scissors and add them to the mixing bowl. Gently stir before serving. Taste and adjust the flavor with shrimp salt and kumquat/lime/lemon juice. If rice paper strips are dry, spray a little more water.
Step 4. Serving
- Due to the mixture of rice paper strips with kumquat/lime/lemon juice and water, they become soft but may become sticky and clumpy within 30-45 minutes. It’s best enjoyed immediately after mixing. Enjoy!
Banh Trang Tron (Vietnamese Rice Paper Salad)
Ingredients
- 60g (~2 oz) rice paper strips
- 60g (~ 2oz) unripe mango, julienned
- 1 1/2 tsp Tay Ninh Shrimp Salt
- 1 1/2 tsp kumquat/lemon/lime juice
- 1 1/2 tsp water
- 1/2 tsp sacha sauce optional
- 4 quail eggs
- A handful of beef jerky and/or dried squid
- A handful of Vietnamese Coriander
- A handful of fried pork rinds chicharron
Instructions
Step 1. Preparation
- If rice paper strips aren't available, cut rice papers into 1-1.5 cm (0.4-0.6 inch) strips.
- Prepare other ingredients: julienne unripe mango, wash Vietnamese coriander, boil quail eggs, and slice kumquat/lemon or lime. Gather all necessary ingredients.
Step 2. Mixing rice paper strips
- In a mixing bowl, combine rice paper strips, Tay Ninh Shrimp salt, and sacha sauce (if using). Add kumquat/lime/lemon juice and spray water onto the mixture (left image). Wear a glove on one hand and mix with the other hand holding the bowl. Mix until the rice paper strips soften and have a slight yellow color (right image).
Step 3. Adding other ingredients
- Add mango, beef jerky, pork rinds, dried squid, etc., except for quail eggs and Vietnamese coriander, which are soft and could be crushed while mixing. Then, add quail eggs.
- Cut Vietnamese coriander into smaller pieces with scissors and add them to the mixing bowl. Gently stir before serving. Taste and adjust the flavor with shrimp salt and kumquat/lime/lemon juice. If rice paper strips are dry, spray a little more water.
Step 4. Serving
- Due to the mixture of rice paper strips with kumquat/lime/lemon juice and water, they become soft but may become sticky and clumpy within 30-45 minutes. It's best enjoyed immediately after mixing. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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