More often than not, it is the women of Hue who keep imperial cuisine alive, passing the skills from one generation to the next. Take a woman like Mrs Ho, who only went into the hospitality business five years ago when she took over the Citadel Hotel on the fringe of Hue’s city centre. This energetic proprietor, for whom it is not unusual to spend an hour on the tennis court after an evening’s work in the kitchen, specialises in royal banquets. Putting her in-depth knowledge of Hue cuisine to good use, and assisted by her daughter, she produces elaborate ten-course feasts in an impossibly small kitchen. The king-size meal is served in the ‘Emperor’s Room’, next to the well-kept courtyard garden.
Mrs Hoa gave us the recipe for this dish, which is not only an essential part of any royal banquet, but an entire Hue laneway is dedicated to it. There is a row of restaurants that serve rice cakes with small variations, such as crushed mung beans or crispy pork skin. The pancakes are slightly chewy, the prawns or pork crisp, the wilted spring onions soft and the dipping sauce adds a sweet and salty taste—it’s a great balance of simple ingredients and flavours.