Bánh Đúc Nóng • Vietnamese Savory Rice Flour Pudding

📖 RECIPE: mmbonappetit.com/banh-duc-nong/
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“Bánh” is one of those funny Vietnamese words that don’t have a clear definition and is difficult to translate. They mainly refer to cake-like foods made with flour: Cakes, breads, pastries, and buns are all bánh. But other non-cake-like foods are also called bánh, including several types of noodles like bánh phở, bánh đa, bánh canh; and even our dish today- a bowl of cooked rice flour. Even more funny is that some non-food objects like a wheel or a bar of soap are also be called bánh. But I digress…
If you’ve never tried it, ‘sticky pudding’ might be the best description of the texture of this dish. It’s somewhat similar, but less dense than cassava fufu! Bánh đúc nóng is a delicious warm rice flour pudding typically topped with minced pork, mushrooms, crispy fried shallots, green onions, and a sweet/sour/savory sauce. You can find this dish at little street stalls in Vietnam, especially in Hà Nội. It can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or at any time you desire for that matter.
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🍚 🧈 INGREDIENTS
• 120 g rice flour
• 100 g tapioca flour
• 880 ml water
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 300 g ground pork
• 10 g wood ear mushrooms (dry)
• 10 g shiitake mushrooms (dry)
• 100 g shallots (replace half with premade fried shallots if available)
• 6 tbsp vegetable oil (for fried shallots)
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1⁄2 tsp bouillon powder
• 1⁄4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 stalk green onion
• Cilantro (for garnish)
• Chili oil and/or sriracha
• 200 ml warm water
• 30 g sugar
• 30 ml rice vinegar
• 30 ml fish sauce
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• Bird’s eye chilies - chopped (optional)
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👩‍🍳 👨‍🍳 DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the rice flour, tapioca flour, water, and salt (NOT the oils) until all the flour has dissolved. Pour batter through a strainer into a pot.
A pot with a thick bottom is best, to avoid the scorching the batter.
2. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes to allow flour to fully soak up the water.
3. Rehydrate the mushrooms by soaking in hot water. Finely chop.
4, Mix together the minced pork, mushrooms, fish sauce, and bouillon powder. Set aside.
5. Thinly slice shallots. Divide in halves- one will be to sauté with the pork topping, the other will be for making crispy fried shallot.
If you’re using pre-made fried shallot for toppings, you’ll only need half the amount of shallot called for in the recipe, just for the pork.
6. Chop the green onion and cilantro. Set aside for assembly.
7. Mince garlic.
8. Slice bird’s eye chili(s) if using.
9. Add shallot and oil to a cold sauce pan.
10. Turn heat to medium (5/10).
11. Fry the shallot, stirring continuously for about 4 minutes, until you start seeing the first bits turn golden.
12. Reduce heat to low (2/10) and continue frying until most of the shallot has turned lightly golden. NOTE: pull the shallot earlier than you think you should, it can burn quickly.
13. Pour over a strainer placed over a bowl.
14. Pour shallot on a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside for assembly.
15. Save this super fragrant shallot oil in a clean jar. We’ll use a bit of it to sauté the pork. The rest, you can use add extra flavors to whatever you cook!
16. Heat the pot on high (8/10), stirring with chopsticks or spatula continuously. When the batter starts to thicken- after about 2-4 minutes, reduce heat to low (2/10).
17. Continue cooking and stirring until the dough becomes translucent around the edges (about 3-5 minutes).
18. Add in the vegetable and sesame oils. Mix well to combine.
19. Turn the stove to the lowest setting and cover with a lid until you are ready to serve.
20. Heat a pan over medium and add 1 tbsp of oil. If you made fried shallots, use the shallot oil. If not, use regular vegetable oil.
21. Add sliced shallot and sauté until soft, about 30 seconds.
22. Add the pork/mushroom mixture and sauté, breaking up the chunks of meat, until pork is no longer pink- about 5 minutes.
23. Add ground black pepper and stir to combine.
24. Set aside, cover, and keep warm until ready to serve.
25. In a bowl, mix together the sugar, warm water, fish sauce, and vinegar until sugar has dissolved.
26. Add in minced garlic and sliced bird’s eye chili.
27. Spoon the warm bánh đúc into a bowl.
28. Top with minced pork/mushroom mixture, green onion, cilantro, and fried shallot.
29. Pour sauce over the top, drizzle on some chili oil and/or sriracha, and serve immediately!
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CHAPTERS
0:00 - Introduction
1:14 - Ingredients
1:55 - Make the batter
3:05 - Prep toppings
7:30 - Cook Bánh Đúc
9:30 - Cook toppings
10:26 - Make sauce
11:00 - Serve and enjoy!