Rice Recipes
Easy Bánh Giò Recipe (Vietnamese Rice & Pork “Dumplings”)
Bánh Giò recipe is a uniquely satisfying Vietnamese dish with a rich cultural history. This guide will teach you how to make classic Bánh Giò at home, share creative recipes, and highlight tips for cooking up these tasty “dumplings” from scratch. Read on to explore the origins, ingredients, and techniques that make Bánh Giò an unforgettable eating experience.
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An Introduction to Bánh Giò Recipe
Imagine a fresh, chewy rice flour wrapper enveloping pork, mushrooms, and scallions. Topped with fried shallots and served alongside a tangy dipping sauce, these Vietnamese “dumplings” offer an irresistible blend of textures and flavors. Known as Bánh Giò in Vietnamese, these stuffed rice rolls have become a popular appetizer and breakfast food.
Bánh Giò originated in northern Vietnam, where rice is a staple crop. The dish evolved as a creative way to transform rice flour into dumpling-like wraps. Unlike southern Vietnamese dishes like bánh cuốn, Bánh Giò features a thicker, chewier wrapper. The dough is enriched with eggs and tapioca starch, creating a smooth, substantial texture when steamed.
When preparing the batter, use a high-quality rice flour milled from Vietnamese or Thai aromatic varieties. This imparts a pleasant aroma and sticky texture perfect for Bánh Giò wrappers. Sift the flour to remove impurities and hydrate it evenly during mixing. Getting the batter’s consistency just right takes practice, but is key for steaming up wrappers with the perfect chewy bounce.
While recipes vary by region, Bánh Giò usually contains pork and mushrooms for savoriness, contrasted by bright herbs and crunchy textures. Don’t miss the essential dipping sauce, spiked with chili, garlic, lime, and fish sauce in a pungent, salty, and sour medley. With a balance of tastes and textures in every bite, it’s easy to see why Bánh Giò has become a Vietnamese staple.
How to Make Bánh Giò Recipe?
Follow these steps to make an authentic platter of Bánh Giò to impress family and friends:
Craft the Batter
- Sift 2 cups rice flour to aerate it. Slowly whisk in 1 cup water at room temperature, then beat vigorously to develop the gluten.
- Let the mixture rest 30 minutes so the flour fully hydrates.
- Whisk in 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 2 tablespoons tapioca starch. Combine until a smooth, pourable batter forms.
Prep the Fillings
- For the filling, choose tangy, salty, and umami ingredients to balance the neutral wrapper. Traditional options include shiitake mushrooms, carrots, taro, jicama, shallots, scallions and ground pork.
- Sauté aromatics like onion and garlic, then add mushrooms and pork. Season with fish sauce, salt, and pepper.
- For a modern twist, char vegetables like broccoli or zucchini. Chili garlic sauce or sriracha make a spicy filler.
Assemble and Steam
- Brush oil in a 9” bamboo steamer tray. Pour in 2-3 tablespoons batter, swirling to coat the bottom. Cover and steam 2 minutes.
- Spoon filling onto the wrapper. Fold sides over filling, then roll away from you to seal into a log.
- Steam 5 more minutes until the wrapper is translucent and filling is cooked through.
Make Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce
- Whisk together 1/3 cup fish sauce, 3 tablespoons lime juice, 1 minced garlic clove and 1-2 teaspoons sugar in a small bowl.
- For spicy nuoc cham, add minced chili peppers. For depth, add a dash of rice vinegar.
Cooking and Presenting Bánh Giò
With a few tips, you can master steaming and plating Bánh Giò like an expert:
- Place rolls seam-side down in the steamer, leaving space between each. Steam for 5-7 minutes until translucent.
- Prevent sticking by brushing the steamer with oil and lining with parchment paper or banana leaves.
- Garnish with crispy fried shallots, chopped peanuts, cilantro or basil for visual appeal.
- Arrange on a platter with nuoc cham and accompaniments like fresh herbs, lettuce and julienned vegetables.
- For dinner parties, serve individual Bánh Giò in banana leaf cups or woven steamer baskets for interactive mealtime fun.
Bánh Giò as Part of a Meal
In Vietnam, Bánh Giò makes for a satisfying lightweight breakfast or lunch:
- Pair it with sides like pickled vegetables and fresh fruit for a balanced morning meal.
- For lunch, add a protein like lemongrass chicken or tofu. To bulk it up, serve over vermicelli noodles dressed with nuoc cham.
- Bánh Giò is ubiquitous at Vietnamese celebrations. Serve an array at New Year’s, Tet, weddings, and birthdays for good luck.
- Substitute coconut milk and lemongrass in the batter for a tropical, coconutty twist. Make mini Bánh Giò with sweet fillings as dessert.
Conclusion: Bánh Giò Recipe
Homemade Bánh Giò is satisfying to create and offers a tasty bite of Vietnamese culture. From crafting the wrappers to developing your own filling combos, preparing Bánh Giò is a rewarding, hands-on cooking adventure. Bring the vibrant flavors of Vietnam to your kitchen. Pull up a chair, make a batch to share, and let the delicious aromas transport you halfway across the world with each tasty bite.
Ingredients
- For the Dough:
- 1 cup Tapioca flour
- 1 cup Rice flour (or substitute with another cup of tapioca flour)
- 1/2 cup Potato starch (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 8 cups Water
- For the Filling:
- 1/2 pound Ground pork
- 2-3 Wood ear mushrooms, dried (rehydrated and chopped)
- 1 medium Shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Cooking oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Fish sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Sugar (optional)
- Pinch of Ground coriander (optional)
- For Wrapping and Steaming:
- Banana leaves, cut into squares (enough to wrap all dumplings)
- Cooking twine or string (optional)
Instructions
- Make the Dough:
- In a large bowl, whisk together tapioca flour, rice flour (or additional tapioca flour), potato starch (if using), and salt.
- Gradually whisk in the water, breaking up any lumps.
- Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to ensure a smooth consistency.
- Let the batter rest for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour, to allow the tapioca flour to fully hydrate.
- Prepare the Filling:
- Soak the dried wood ear mushrooms in hot water for 20-30 minutes, or until softened. Drain and discard the tough stems, then finely chop the mushrooms.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until softened and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the ground pork and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.
- Stir in the chopped wood ear mushrooms, fish sauce, black pepper, and sugar (if using). Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until heated through.
- Remove from heat and stir in ground coriander (if using). Let the filling cool slightly.
- Assemble and Steam the Dumplings:
- Prepare a steamer basket lined with banana leaves. You can also use parchment paper squares if banana leaves are unavailable.
- Lightly grease each banana leaf or parchment paper square with oil.
- Pour a ladleful of rice flour batter onto the center of each banana leaf or parchment paper square. Swirl the batter to form a thin, even layer, about 4-5 inches in diameter.
- Place a spoonful of the cooled pork filling in the center of the batter.
- Fold the banana leaf or parchment paper square over the filling to form a half-moon shape. Secure the edges by pinching them together or by tying them with cooking twine (optional).
- Repeat with remaining batter and filling.
- Steam the Dumplings:
- Arrange the filled dumplings in the prepared steamer basket with enough space between them to prevent sticking.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Place the steamer basket over the boiling water and steam for 45 minutes, or until the dough becomes translucent and cooked through.
- Serve:
- Carefully remove the dumplings from the steamer basket and let them cool slightly before serving.
- Bánh Giò is traditionally served with fried shallots, chopped peanuts, and Nước Chấm (dipping sauce made with fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, and water).
Notes
- If the dough becomes too thick while resting, whisk in a tablespoon or two of additional water to thin it out.
- Be careful not to overfill the dumplings, or they may burst during steaming.
- You can steam the dumplings in batches if your steamer basket is not large enough to hold all of them at once.
- Bánh Giò can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat them by steaming for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.
- Experiment with different fillings, such as shrimp, chicken, or vegetarian options with mushrooms and vegetables.
Nutrition Facts
Bánh Giò Recipe (Vietnamese Rice & Pork "Dumplings")
Serves: 6-8
|
Amount Per Serving: 1 dumpling
|
||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 300-400 kcal | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 10-15 g | 15.4% | |
| Saturated Fat 3-5 g | 15% | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | ||
| Cholesterol 50-70 mg | 16.7% | |
| Sodium 300-500 mg | 12.5% | |
| Total Carbohydrate 40-50 g | 13.3% | |
| Dietary Fiber 1-2 g | 4% | |
| Sugars 5-7 g | ||
| Protein 10-15 g | ||
| Vitamin A Trace | Vitamin C Trace | |
| Calcium 20-30 mg | Iron 2-3 mg | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Vietnamese food recipe
Hello! I’m Christine Ha – a food nerd in love with eating, cooking, photography, science, and culture.
Vietnamese food was always on the table when I was a kid, but I didn’t really care for it until my late teens (what a waste!). I was a super picky eater and mostly just wanted fast food. Somewhere down the line I flipped a switch, and now home-cooked food is something I appreciate so much more. ⮕About me