The final iconic dish from Hoi An is white rose dumplings, or banh bao banh vac. Originally inspired by the delicate dim sum of China’s Guangdong province, as their English name suggests they’re delicately teased in folds to look like white roses. The Ba Le well water that features in cao lau noodles is again part of the magic, mixed with rice flour to make casings that are almost translucent, but also with enough structure to retain their shape and bite when steamed.

A mind-blowing 10,000 a day are crafted by a small team of women sitting around a large circular table towards the back of the White Rose restaurant just outside of the Old Town. It’s communal work as they laugh and talk throughout, kids playing around them in the evening, their fingers a blur of movement as they craft perfect pleats time and again.

The reason they make so many is that this one spot also supplies restaurants all over town. But remarkably, the dumpling makers have no idea of the recipe for the pork and shrimp filling. As he prises open a bottle of beer with a chopstick, Chef Vinh explains:

‘It’s really another secret recipe. The owner makes the filling, it’s delivered early in the morning then left out for the ladies who craft them all day long.’

The dainty dumplings are sublime on their own but, as is often the case in Vietnam, the dish isn’t complete until it’s dipped or dunked in a sauce. For the white rose, its perfect condiment is made with fish sauce, chili, sugar and lemon, topped with crispy shallots for textural contrast. I wonder if I could ever replicate it at home.

This being Hoi An, however, the recipe is closed off to me: another closely guarded culinary secret.

This story was originally published in July 2019 and updated in September 2020.

Hero image: Cedric Arnold