Supple and translucent Vietnamese rolls, made by spreading a rice batter over a cloth stretched above boiling water, then filled with pork and wood ear mushrooms. They are served with bean sprouts, fresh herbs, chả lụa, fried shallots, and nước chấm sauce.
Ingredients
- 320 g rice flour
- 80 g tapioca starch
- 950 ml water
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 5 tbsp neutral oil
- 400 g ground pork
- 25 g dried wood ear mushrooms
- 8 pieces shallots
- 7 tbsp Vietnamese fish sauce
- 4 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 240 g Vietnamese chả lụa
- 240 g fresh bean sprouts
- 1 piece cucumber
- 1 bunch fresh mint
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 2 pieces lime
- 2 cloves fresh garlic
- 1 piece fresh red chili
Method
- Mix the rice flour, tapioca starch, and salt. Gradually pour in the water, whisking to form a perfectly smooth, lump-free batter. Stir in a portion of the oil, cover, and let rest until the flour is fully hydrated.
- Soak the wood ear mushrooms in warm water until pliable. Rinse them thoroughly, remove any tough bits, squeeze dry to remove excess water, then chop them finely.
- Peel the shallots. Mince a portion of them for the filling and finely slice the rest lengthwise.
- Heat the neutral oil over medium heat and fry the sliced shallots, stirring regularly. Remove them as soon as they turn a light golden color, as they will continue to darken off the heat. Drain them on paper towels and reserve the flavored oil.
- Sauté the minced shallots in a skillet with a little of the flavored oil. Add the pork and break it up thoroughly. When it is barely pink, stir in the wood ear mushrooms, a portion of the fish sauce, a little sugar, and the pepper. Cook until the juices evaporate: the filling should remain tender but no longer wet. Let it cool slightly.
- Prepare the nước chấm by dissolving the remaining sugar in a little warm water. Add the lime juice and remaining fish sauce. Stir in the very finely minced garlic and chili. Taste: the sauce should be simultaneously salty, acidic, slightly sweet, and spicy, with no single flavor dominating.
- Briefly blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water, then chill and drain them thoroughly. Wash and dry the herbs. Cut the cucumber into matchsticks. Slice the chả lụa.
- Tightly stretch a clean cloth over the opening of a pot containing simmering water. The cloth must be flat and taut, without touching the water. Have a suitable domed lid ready and maintain steady steam.
- Stir the batter from the bottom before each cooking step, as the rice flour settles quickly. Pour a small ladleful onto the center of the cloth and immediately spread it into an even layer with the back of the ladle. Cover and cook until the sheet becomes translucent, supple, and slightly puffed up by the steam.
- Very lightly oil a tray. Slide a long flat spatula under the cooked sheet, gently lift it, then set it onto the tray without wrinkling it. Spread a line of filling near one edge, fold the sheet over the filling, and roll up without pressing too tightly.
- Repeat the process, continually stirring the batter and keeping the cloth moist and clean. Lightly oil the finished rolls so they do not stick to each other.
- Divide the still-warm bánh cuốn among plates. Add the bean sprouts, cucumber, herbs, and chả lụa. Generously scatter with fried shallots and serve the nước chấm on the side so each person can drizzle it over their rolls.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 967.4 kcal
- Protein
- 41.11 g
- Carbohydrate
- 112.3 g
- Fat
- 40.94 g
- Fibre
- 5.22 g
- Calcium
- 51.24 mg
- Iron
- 1.25 mg
- Magnesium
- 105.87 mg
