Bánh Cuốn — Steamed Rice Rolls with Pork, Mushroom & Crispy Shallots

⏱ 90 min · Serves 4

Silky, whisper-thin steamed rice sheets wrapped around savoury pork and wood ear mushrooms, showered with crisp fried shallots and dipped in warm nuoc cham. A Hanoi breakfast classic — a weekend project worth every minute, and easier than you think with a nonstick pan instead of a steamer cloth.

Per serving: 595 kcal · 29.0g protein · 68.0g carbs · 23.0g fat

Ingredients

• 200g rice flour
• 40g tapioca starch
• 30g cornflour
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 900ml cold water
• 1 tbsp neutral oil, plus more for greasing
• 300g minced pork
• 20g dried wood ear mushrooms, soaked and finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp neutral oil, for frying
• 4 banana shallots, thinly sliced
• 150ml neutral oil, for frying shallots
• 200g Vietnamese pork sausage (chả lụa), sliced (optional)
• 1 Lebanese cucumber, julienned
• Handful of coriander, mint and Thai basil
• 100g beansprouts, blanched
• 60ml fish sauce
• 60ml warm water
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 red chilli, sliced

Method

1. Whisk the rice flour, tapioca starch, cornflour and salt with the 900ml cold water and 1 tbsp oil until completely smooth. Rest for at least 30 minutes — this is essential for tender sheets.
2. Meanwhile, fry the sliced shallots in the 150ml oil over medium-low heat, stirring, for 8–10 minutes until golden. Drain on kitchen paper; they crisp as they cool. Save 2 tbsp of the shallot oil.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, fry the onion and garlic for 3 minutes, add the pork and break it up. Cook 5 minutes, stir in the wood ear, fish sauce and pepper, cook 2 more minutes. Set aside.
4. Mix all the dipping sauce ingredients until the sugar dissolves. Taste and balance — it should be light, sweet-salty and sour.
5. Set a 20cm nonstick frying pan over medium heat and brush lightly with oil. Stir the batter well (it settles), then ladle in about 60ml, swirling to a thin even layer.
6. Cover with a lid and steam 45–60 seconds until the sheet turns translucent and lifts at the edges. Slide or flip onto an oiled tray or board.
7. Spoon a tablespoon of filling along one edge, fold in the sides and roll up. Transfer to a serving plate. Repeat, re-oiling the pan lightly every couple of rolls, until batter and filling are used.
8. Brush the rolls with the reserved shallot oil, scatter generously with crispy shallots, and serve with sliced chả lụa, cucumber, blanched beansprouts, herbs and bowls of warm nuoc cham.