Bánh Cuốn with Pork and Mushrooms

Name: Bánh Cuốn with Pork and Mushrooms
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 200g Rice Flour; 70g Tapioca Starch; 750ml Water, room temperature; 1 tbsp Neutral Oil, plus extra for brushing the pan; 1/4 tsp Salt, fine; 300g Ground Pork, 20% fat preferred; 20g Wood Ear Mushrooms, dried, soaked until soft and finely chopped; 3 Shiitake Mushrooms, drieds, soaked and finely chopped; optional; 2 small Shallots, finely minced; 1 tbsp Neutral Oil; 1 1/2 tbsp Fish Sauce; 1 tsp Sugar; 1/4 tsp Pepper (Black), ground; 3 Scallions, finely sliced; 3 tbsp Neutral Oil; Some Salt; 60ml Fish Sauce; 120ml Water, warm; 30g Sugar; 2 tbsp Lime Juice, fresh; 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar; 1 Garlic Clove, finely minced; 1 1/2 Bird's Eye Chilies, finely sliced; to taste; 200g Cha Lua (Vietnamese Pork Sausage), sliced; 200g Bean Sprouts, briefly blanched; 1 small Cucumber, thinly sliced; 1 handful of Cilantro and Mint, fresh; 1/2 cups Fried Shallots

Delicate steamed rice crepes wrapped around a savory mixture of ground pork and earthy mushrooms, Bánh Cuốn is a light, elegant Vietnamese snack that balances soft, silky sheets with a fragrant filling and bright, tangy dipping sauce. Serve these rolls with crisp herbs, cool cucumber, crunchy bean sprouts and a sprinkle of fried shallots for contrast — perfect for a leisurely weekend breakfast or an impressive appetizer.

Delicate steamed rice crepes wrapped around a savory mixture of ground pork and earthy mushrooms, Bánh Cuốn is a light, elegant Vi... Show more

Traditional Vietnamese Recipe

Health Grade

C · Balanced

Rating

4.2

Time

1 hr20 min

Price

3,03 €

Calories

891 kcal

high protein

low sugar

date night

comfort food

Method

Soak mushrooms

Cover the Wood Ear Mushrooms and Shiitake Mushrooms with warm water and soak until fully soft, about 15 minutes. Drain them well, squeeze out the excess water, and finely chop both. If you’re skipping the shiitakes, just use the wood ear mushrooms.

Mix batter

In a large bowl, whisk together the Rice Flour, Tapioca Starch, and Salt (fine), then gradually whisk in the room-temperature water until the batter is smooth and pourable. Whisk in the Neutral Oil, cover the bowl, and let the batter rest for 30 minutes so the rice flour fully hydrates.

Cook filling

Finely mince the Shallots if they aren’t already, then heat the neutral oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, then add the Ground Pork and break it up with a spoon. Stir in the chopped mushrooms, Fish Sauce, Sugar, and Pepper (Black), and keep cooking for 6 minutes or until the pork is no longer pink and the mixture looks savory and fairly dry.

Make scallion oil

Finely slice the Scallion, then warm the neutral oil in a small pan over low heat. Add the scallion and stir just until it turns bright green and fragrant, about 1 minute. Sprinkle in a small pinch of salt, then take the pan off the heat.

Mix dipping sauce

Finely mince the Garlic Clove and thinly slice the Bird's Eye Chilies, then whisk together the remaining fish sauce, warm water, Lime Juice (fresh), Rice Vinegar, the garlic, the chilies, and the sugar until the sugar dissolves completely. Taste and balance it so it’s salty, tangy, a little sweet, and spicy enough for your liking.

Prep toppings

Slice the Cha Lua thinly, rinse the Cucumber and Cilantro and Mint, then pat them dry. Cut the cucumber into thin slices and arrange the sausage, cucumber, and herbs on a platter so everything is ready to go.

Blanch sprouts

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the Bean Sprouts, and blanch them for just 20 to 30 seconds, until they turn bright and crisp-tender. Drain them right away and spread them out so they stop cooking.

Steam wrappers

Set up a large steamer with a lightly oiled steaming surface and bring the water to a steady simmer. Give the batter a good stir, then ladle in a thin layer and steam for 1 minute, just until the sheet turns translucent and sets. Lift it out gently with an oiled spatula or chopsticks, add a spoonful of pork filling while the wrapper is still hot, and roll or fold it up before starting the next one.

Assemble rolls

Arrange the filled rolls on plates with the blanched bean sprouts, cucumber, cha lua, and herbs. Spoon over the scallion oil and shower everything with the Fried Shallots, then serve with the dipping sauce on the side.