Bánh cuốn: the thinnest dish in Vietnamese breakfast

Bánh cuốn is made from thin rice flour batter, spread into an extremely thin sheet on a cloth stretched over a pot of boiling water, steamed for about ten seconds, then taken out and rolled up with a filling of minced meat and wood ear mushrooms. If you get the chance, stand and watch someone make crepes. It's a quick and beautiful operation: scoop the batter, spread it in a circle, cover it quickly, count a few seconds, and use a bamboo stick to slide the crepe out. The entire process takes less than half a minute for one. The dish usually contains: rolled rice cakes, fried shallots sprinkled on top, a few slices of Vietnamese ham, pickled cucumber, and fresh herbs. Dipping sauce set aside — diluted fish sauce, warm, sometimes with a few chili slices mixed in. How to eat: pick up one roll, dip it into the bowl of dipping sauce, and eat the whole piece. Don't pour the dipping sauce directly onto the plate — the thin crepe leaves will get soggy right away. If you want a richer flavor, you can order extra spring rolls or grilled meat. Some restaurants serve it with a bowl of hot broth on the side. Price is 25–40 thousand per plate. This is a breakfast dish - almost no restaurant sells it in the evening. A small note: when bánh cuốn cools down, the rolls stick together and lose their softness. This is really a dish best enjoyed fresh right at the restaurant, not suitable for takeout.