The delicacy is a leaf-wrapped sticky rice dumpling filled with pork, salted egg, dried shrimp, and other ingredients.

Every step is handled with care

Tucked away in Alley 145/7 on Gia Phu Street, the workshop, which makes Fujian-style banh ba trang, starts its bustling day at 4:00 am, filled with swirling steam and the gentle aroma of the ingredients that make up this once-a-year zongzi.

Ly Bao Linh, the shop owner, skillfully wraps each banh ba trang, shaping a neat, compact rice bundle in less than a minute with her experienced hands.

Linh shared that the Linh Lan workshop has been in business for more than 30 years.

In its early days, her mother-in-law handled the making and wrapping, later passing the craft down to her.

According to Linh, making banh ba trang is both difficult and easy.

It is tough at first because every step requires care, from selecting ingredients to marinating and shaping the final product.

“The hardest part is folding the leaves and wrapping the rice bundle,” Linh explained.

“Each one should be wrapped snugly—not too loose and not too tight—so it cooks evenly and holds together during steaming.

“At first I found it really hard, but over time it got easier."

Though similar in shape to Vietnamese banh u tro or banh tro wrapped in dong leaves with a pointed top, what sets banh ba trang apart is its rich filling.

The filling is a flavorful blend of stir-fried pork belly, salted egg yolk, dried shrimp, and nutty lotus seeds.

For the Fujian-style version, crispy fried shallots are added, giving it a unique flavor.

As for the outer layer, Linh revealed that the glutinous rice must be carefully selected and soaked for four to five hours to soften the grains before wrapping.

Once wrapped, the banh ba trang is cooked over high heat for five to six hours to reach perfect doneness.

From start to finish, creating a Fujian-style banh ba trang takes more than 10 hours.

“It’s hard work, but because I love it, I keep doing it,” Linh said.

“Making these for people to bring home, offer on the altar, and enjoy together during Duanwu Festival is what brings me joy.”

A taste of childhood at Duanwu Festival

Though located in a narrow alley, the Linh Lan workshop buzzes with customers from the early morning.

At peak times, the line of vehicles stretches from one end of the alley to the other, Linh said.

“Besides walk-in customers, many people pre-order and come to pick up later,” Linh said.

“I can’t even estimate how many we sell each day as people are constantly coming in and out."

This year, Linh’s workshop will continue operating until the evening of the 4th day of the 5th lunar month (May 30), wrapping up after fulfilling all customer orders.

Phuong Thao from District 11 said Linh Lan’s banh ba trang tasted just like those from her childhood.

“I’m Chinese-Vietnamese so every year we eat banh ba trang for Duanwu Festival," Thao said.

“Some years, my mom made them and I helped wrap them. Other years, when we were too busy, we’d buy them for the altar offering.

“I always buy from Linh Lan because I grew up with that flavor.

“After all these years, it still tastes the same. Every bite brings back memories of being with my family in my childhood.”

Fujian-style banh ba trang has now won over many customers.

After seeing a TikTok video, Vu Dinh Quan from Go Vap District visited the Linh Lan workshop to try it.

“At first I wasn’t used to the taste and smell, but someone suggested eating it with chili sauce, and that made it more palatable,” Quan said.

“My favorite parts are the salted egg and pork belly. 

"The chewy rice and rich filling go really well together.”