Apologies for the lack of posting lately—it’s been very busy for me here in New York. This recipe is a bit of a complicated and lengthy one, so I wanted to make sure I took my sweet time with it, so that I’d get it just right. Today I’ll be sharing my recipe for steamed rice paper filled with seasoned ground pork—more commonly known as ‘bánh cuốn’ in Vietnamese. It has to be hands down, my favorite dish to eat. I am salivating thinking about it. I have been making this dish for years, cooking the rice sheets using the pan method (which is what my mom does). However, a few years ago I discovered the traditional way to make them in Vietnam—using a steamer pot, a metal ‘O’ ring, and a tightly fitted sheet of fabric. This method actually allows me to make the sheets even thinner, which adds to the magic of the dish. Though I will admit that no matter what, my mom’s version will always be my favorite. The purpose of me trying this more traditional method was for me to challenge myself in the kitchen—and boy oh boy, was it a challenge. I spent hours, sweating and literally crying over the stove trying to achieve the perfectly thin steamed rice sheet. It took several batches and countless tears, but I ended up achieving this feat over time. I feel a little bamboozled though, and here’s why: the steamer pot came with all the necessary pieces, including two sheets of fabric. I stuck with using one fabric, which appeared to be all cotton (at the time I didn’t open the second sheet package, so I didn’t know there was a different fabric). It was incredibly difficult to remove the rice sheet from the cotton fabric, so I had to take my time and learn how to operate in the perfect rhythm. It was not pretty, and I made a complete mess in the kitchen every time. I continued using this cotton sheet for over a year, saving the other sheet for when I absolutely needed to swap it out. Well with this last batch, I finally decided to use the other sheet, and I noticed that the texture of the sheet was a lot smoother, and that it was probably a blend of cotton and polyester. Little did I know that this sheet made it much easier to remove the rice sheet from the fabric, saving me time and energy (as well as sweat and tears). This whole time, the secret was that the fabric absolutely had to be a cotton-poly blend. So now that I’ve discovered this secret, I will look forward to making bánh cuốn a whole lot more.
So today I’ll be sharing the set that I purchased on Amazon, which right now unfortunately appears to be no longer sold (going to share it anyway, so you know how it looks, and what it consists of). The good news is that you actually have options, and I’ll be sharing the sources for that as well. In addition, I’ll be sharing the recipe for the delicious seasoned ground pork mix (you can also use alternative ground meats if you do not eat pork), and lastly, the secrets to creating the (almost) perfect steamed rice sheet. Pay attention, take notes, and have patience. It’s not easy, but over time, you can actually achieve the seemingly impossible.
STEAMED RICE PAPER FILLED WITH SEASONED GROUND PORK ( BÁNH CUỐN )
Degree of difficulty: 5 ( on a scale of 1-5 )
Cook Time: It depends on how many crepes you want to make, but also how developed your skills are. To get an idea though, steaming each crepe takes 45 seconds to 1 minute (but no more than that). Rolling the crepe is a quick 10 seconds. Warning—your first time may not come out as planned, so don’t expect perfection on the first try!
YOU’LL NEED
A large steamer pot (I purchased the entire set via Amazon here), however since it is sold out, here is an alternative on how to make your own steamer pot at home via Youtube. Another option is to purchase this set on Amazon that comes with fabric, an adjustable metal ring, and bamboo sticks to remove the crepe here. I recommend looking at and studying all three links to get an idea of how the process works. Research is key in cooking!
A flat/thin and long stick at least 18” long to remove the crepe from the sheet (if it already doesn’t come with the set you’ve purchased)
A ladle (note: the coconut ladles that come with the sets are way too heavy and difficult to maneuver. I recommend using a good old fashioned ladle right from your kitchen).
Cotton/polyester blend fabric. If you are purchasing any of the sets, they should come with a cotton-poly blend fabric. If you are doing your own makeshift version, and have to buy fabric, make sure that it is a cotton-poly blend, which will make removal of the crepe so much easier.
A large work surface. I sanitized and wiped a large section of my marble countertop. Then I applied cooing oil and rubbed it generously over the work surface. Keep a bowl of oil and some paper towels handy in case you need to reapply oil.
INGREDIENTS FOR THE BATTER
2 cups of rice flour
¾ cup of tapioca starch
1/3 cup of potato starch or corn starch
¼ TSP salt
2 TSP vegetable oil
4 cups of water
INGREDIENTS FOR THE FILLING
1/2 lb of ground pork
1/2 cup of dried wood ear mushrooms, rehydrated and roughly chopped
1/2 sweet onion, roughly chopped
1 TSP of mushroom seasoning
¼ TSP salt
½ TBS of fish sauce
½ TSP of freshly ground pepper
1 TSP of sugar
INGREDIENTS FOR THE TOPPINGS
Fresh mint leaves thoroughly rinsed
Fresh cilantro, thoroughly rinsed
Washed and steamed mung bean sprouts
Cucumber, washed and julienned
Thinly sliced Vietnamese ham (chả lụa)
A SIMPLE DIPPING SAUCE
4 TBSP sugar
4 TBSP Fish Sauce
2/3 Cup water
TBS Lime
1 thinly sliced Thai chili (seeds removed)
DIRECTIONS FOR THE BATTER
1. Dissolve the flour, salt, and vegetable oil in 4 cups of water. Stir well until the flour is completely blended and dissolved. Let the batter rest for 1 hour, or for an extra silky texture (preferred), let the batter rest overnight. TIP: Before you begin to steam, make sure you mix the batter and water again using your ladle until it is fully blended, since the batter tends to clump up and separate when left to rest.
DIRECTIONS FOR THE FILLING
*Prep your steamer pot as necessary. Add in water until it reaches ¾ of the pot, and cover with the fitted cotton poly sheet (tip: make sure the cloth has been soaked in water before placing it on the top of the pot). Turn the heat onto high and cover with a lid. While you are waiting for the pot to steam up, begin prepping and cooking your meat.
**I also like to fill a large pitcher with water and keep the bamboo stick soaked in the water. It allows for smoother removal of the steamed rice sheet. After each use, place the bamboo stick back into the pitcher of water.
1. In a medium mixing bowl, season the ground pork with 1 TSP of mushroom seasoning, ¼ TSP of salt, ½ TBS of fish sauce, 1 TSP of sugar, and ½ TSP of freshly ground pepper. Set aside.
2. Heat up 1 TBS of cooking oil on high heat. Add the seasoned ground pork to the pan and cook thoroughly until it is no longer pink. Use a spatula to break up the pork, getting a nice fine ground.
3. Add in the finely chopped wood ear mushroom and mix well, cooking for about 1 minute.
4. Add in the chopped onion and continue to cook until the onion has softened and is translucent, cooking for 1-2 minutes.
5. Transfer to bowl and cover so that it remains warm. Place the bowl in your work station area.
(Apologies for the low quality photos—this was all video shot on iPhone, and then frames were taken from the video)
DIRECTIONS FOR STEAMING AND ROLLING
1. Make sure your work station is prepped and wiped with oil. Also make sure you have mixed the bowl of batter so that it smooth and consistent. Once the pot comes to a full steam, you are ready to make your rice sheets.
2. Fill the ladle halfway or ¾ full (how much you ladle on depends on how large your pot/cloth surface is). Starting in the very middle of the cloth surface, ladle the batter on, and while slowly pouring the batter, rotate the ladle clockwise continuously, using the back of the ladle to spread the batter out into a thin and round sheet. Make sure you are not concentrated in the center, but rather working outwards, so that the batter is even throughout. Once it becomes slightly tacky, cover with a lid and set a timer for 45 seconds. Remove the lid, and using the bamboo stick (or any other thin and flat stick you have), gently wiggle it underneath, applying a little pressure to lift the rice sheet off of the cloth. Immediately transfer the rice sheet to your work surface. Then ladle on more batter, repeating the process. Close the lid and go straight to your first completed rice sheet, adding your ground pork mix all over (add just a little—about 2 TBS). Roll your crepe and transfer to a plate.
Tip: The less batter you use, the thinner your rice sheet, but keep in mind that sometimes working with more batter first (to get the hang of it) may be best. Once you become better at it, you can try using less batter and making thinner sheets. Also keep in mind that the sheet will/may have holes in it, which is not a big deal. Once you roll the sheet up with the meat, it’s not noticeable.
3. While you’re rolling, the next rice sheet is steaming. Once you’ve finished rolling, the next rice sheet (that you’ve already ladled onto the steamer pot) should already be done. You repeat the process until you’ve made the desired amount of rice sheet rolls.
4. Once you’ve completed all of your rolled rice sheets, transfer them to individual platters, add the toppings, and serve with a simple sweet fish sauce.