Bahn Phu The: Husband and Wife Cakes

These shiny little pillows are served at Vietnamese weddings. Traditionally, a man offered these to the woman he wanted to marry. The stickiness of the cakes symbolizes the strong bonds of marriage.


They have a gelatin-like texture on the outside and some have a creamy filling on the inside. Tapioca flour, pandan, mung bean paste, sugar, and coconut milk provide the mild flavoring of these treats.


"Things Asian" has an explanation of the cultural significance of these cakes. The blog "Playing with My Food"describes how to make them.