According to legend, Cambodian dessert came into Vietnam in 1970 by some Vietnamese who lived and worked there. Although there is no concrete evidence to prove such story, the moderate sweetness of palm sugar of which the dish is made of has become quite famous in Ho Chi Minh City. Being sold in a small, unassuming stall at the market perhaps even adds to its interest and popularity.

One known seller of excellent Cambodian dessert is Huynh Thi Huoi in Le Hong Phong Market at District 10. One of the oldest as well, she inherited the business from her mother. The stall is a public favorite because of its use of authentic palm sugar as the main ingredient instead of refined white sugar as some sellers use.

Huoi sells several dishes in her stall. Bi Chung (steamed pumpkin) is the most “exotic” and perhaps the most popular one. It is a kind of pumpkin custard which is made by first scooping the flesh out of small and smooth pumpkins. The vacant space is then filled with a concoction of milk powder, condensed milk, coconut milk and egg yolk. The whole pumpkin is then steamed until it becomes soft.

Depending on the customer's taste, Bi Chung can be eaten on its own or with other dishes such as Thot Not (toddy palm seeds), Hat Me (Tamarind Seeds), and Yellow Cakes (made from rice flour and egg yolk). Either way, Bi Chung is served with ice and coconut milk.

Che Hat Me is another dish in Huoi's menu that has quite a following in the city. Che is a Vietnamese collective term for any sweet beverage, dessert soup or pudding. It is made by roasting tamarind seeds, drying, soaking, and then removing the covers wherein at this stage the seeds should have become soft and chewy. Like Bi Chung, it is also served with ice and coconut milk.

Che Thot Not is a light dish made of (chewy, transparent) toddy palm seeds. It is accompanied with sugar water or coconut milk and ice. Aside from the “exotic” dishes mentioned, Huoi also offer desserts at her stall. Chuoi Nuong is grilled banana wrapped in glutinous rice and eaten with coconut milk. Xoi Xiem is sticky rice topped with egg custard, durian flesh and coconut milk.

The said desserts are similar to Vietnamese delicacies but are originally from Cambodia. Xoi Xiem for example was said to be brought to the country by a Vietnamese-Thai national in Chau Doc, the central town of the Mekong Delta An Giang Province. Huoi's version of this particular dessert stands out from the others in that her recipe includes serving it with coconut milk and a sauce made of eggs, palm sugar, coconut milk, durian flesh and tapioca starch. Moreover, all her ingredients are imported from Cambodia and come in every week, assuring her clients of fresh and truly satisfying Cambodian desserts.