banh

Bánh is a Vietnamese term that broadly refers to cakes, pastries, and other fixed-dough foods. The word, written as bánh with diacritics in Vietnamese, is commonly transliterated as banh in English texts. In Vietnamese cuisine, bánh denotes a wide range of sweet and savory items, from individual desserts to staple foods, and is used in the names of many dishes to indicate a category of prepared foods rather than a single recipe.

Bánh covers both cakes and bread-like products made from ingredients such as rice, glutinous rice, corn, mung beans, coconut milk, and various flavorings. It includes sweet items (bánh ngọt) like layered cakes and small confections, as well as savory preparations (bánh mặn) such as pancakes, dumplings, and rice cakes. Well-known examples include bánh mì (a bread sandwich), bánh xèo (savory rice crepe), bánh cuốn (rolled rice crepe), bánh bèo (steamed rice cake), bánh bao (steamed bun), and bánh chưng or bánh tét (square and cylindrical rice cakes for holidays). Bánh tráng refers to rice paper used for wrappers and snacks. Many bánh are prepared by steaming, frying, or baking, and they frequently feature regional variations in flavor and technique.

Culturally, bánh is central to Vietnamese cuisine and daily life, appearing in markets, bakeries, and family celebrations. The North, Central, and South regions each have distinctive bánh traditions, reflecting local ingredients and tastes. Across the Vietnamese diaspora, bánh has adapted while preserving its role as a versatile, culturally significant category of food.