They are usually filled with shrimp and pork belly, often being topped with fried shallots and served with sweet chili fish sauce.

They are said to have originated from Huế, as the city was once the imperial capital of the Nguyễn dynasty and known for having simple, yet sophisticated dishes.

In Vietnamese, the word bánh can mean "cake" or "bread," but can also be used as a general term for foods that are made from any type of flour, the most common being rice or tapioca.

Without the banana leaf wrapping, it is called bánh bột lọc trần, meaning "clear flour cake bare."

Bánh bột lọc trần is made by adding boiling water into tapioca starch, then mixing and kneading until a smooth, soft, and elastic dough is formed.