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BANH CUON {STEAMED RICE ROLLS}

I will admit that this is a bit time consuming to make but the results are definitely worth it for me. Then again, I think cooking is a labor of love and I can’t imagine doing it any other way. Also, make sure you use a good non-stick pan. The first time I made this, I used a cheap non-stick pan and the batter just stuck to the pan. I HIGHLY recommend Calphalon’s Unison SLIDE non-stick pans. I’m pretty anti non-stick pans cause the thought of the teflon scratching off freaks me out but I’m glad I just bit the bullet and purchased these Calphalon pans. It definitely made making the banh cuon a piece of cake!

Prep the garnishes.

Cook the filling.

Cook the banh cuon in a good NON-STICK pan.

Flip the banh cuon onto a cutting board and wrap it up.

Roll it up like a burrito and serve with the garnishes.

Banh Cuon {Steamed Rice Rolls}

Source: Lo Huynh (2 servings)

Ingredients:

Nuoc Mam Cham:
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
5 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lime juice or white distilled vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce {Rooster/sriracha brand}

Garnishes:
½ bunch cilantro , chopped
¼ pound Vietnamese ham, cha lua, thinly sliced into half moons
1 cup bean sprouts, blanched
1 each Persian cucumber, julienned

Hanh Phi {Fried Shallots}:
2 each shallots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons canola oil
or
2 tablespoons pre-made fried red onion

Filling:
½ pound ground pork
2 cloves garlic, minced
⅓ cup wood ear fungus, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes, drained, and chopped
¼ each yellow onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Rice Crepes:
1 package Banh cuon flour, follow directions on package
or
1 cup rice flour
1 cup tapioca starch
2 ½ cups water
1 tablespoon canola oil

Directions:
1. Make the nuoc mam cham by mixing all the nuoc mam cham ingredients together. Set aside in the refrigerator.
2. Prep the garnishes and set aside. Blanch the bean sprouts by bringing a pot of water to boil, add the bean sprouts, and then quickly remove and drain.
3. For the hanh phi {fried shallots}, thinly slice the shallots. Over medium high heat, in a small sauce pan, add the 2 tablespoons canola oil and add the sliced shallots. Cook the shallots until it is golden brown and crispy. Remove the shallots but leave about 1 tablespoon of the canola oil in the pan. Set the shallots aside.
4. In a bowl, mix all the pork filling ingredients together.
5. In the sauce pan that the shallots were fried in, over high heat, add the ground pork filling mixture and saute until the pork is brown and fully cooked. Set aside.
6. For the crepes, follow the directions on the banh cuon package. Also, use only half the package if you’re only cooking for 2 servings.
7. If you want to make the banh cuon batter from scratch, whisk the 1 cup rice flour, 1 cup tapioca starch, 2 1/2 cups water, and 1 tablespoon canola oil in a bowl until throughly mixed.
8. Over medium high heat, in a nonstick pan, lightly oil the pan. Add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup batter and swirl to coat the pan. Cover the pan and cook for about one minute. Once the crepe is cooked, flip it onto a cutting board. Start on your next crepe.
9. While the new crepe is cooking, add the filling to your cooked crepe and roll it up like a burrito. The rolls should be somewhat translucent.
10. Continue cooking the crepes this way until you finish the batter.
11. Serve the banh cuon by topping it with the hanh phi {fried shallots}. Garnish with cilantro, blanched bean sprouts, julienned cucumbers, and Vietnamese ham {cha lua}. Serve with the nuoc mam cham on the side.