Grilled banana with coconut dip.

Across Vietnam's Mekong Delta provinces, specifically Ben Tre, every house boasts a garden with banana and coconut trees, whether big or small. When children crave a snack, mothers often make delectable sweets from homegrown ingredients.

These staple dishes are fairly simple, using a very versatile fruit from the backyard. With just a bunch of bananas, they could make either fried banana, banana sweet soup, or banana cake.

But to the little ones, grilled bananas remain a favourite. Simple yet flavorful, a down-to-earth plate of grilled bananas with a coconut dip leaves one drooling.

With the coconut trees conveniently thriving in the backyard, all local dishes are accompanied by a coconut dip, whether it be milk or water. Most sweet produce from Mekong Delta provinces also come with this signature coconut dip. The scrumptious grilled banana treat is no exception.

The taste of these smoky bananas drenched in rich coconut sauce can satisfy any sweet tooth. The cravings are replaced by the dish’s arresting aroma and an explosion of flavor: sweet, creamy, and rich. The coconut sauce is so milky and well-balanced even when the bananas have run out, children slurp up the rest of the scrumptious side dip.