Vietnamese Steamed Rice Rolls (Banh Cuon)

Step 1

In a medium bowl, soak dried woodear mushrooms in warm water until soft (about 30 minutes). Drain and rinse well. Squeeze out excess water then chop finely. To the same bowl, add ground pork, bouillon powder, salt, sugar, and ground black pepper. Mix until combined.

Step 2

Heat up vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion. Sauté until fragrant (about one minute). Add the ground pork and mushroom mixture. Use a wooden spoon to break up any chunks of ground pork. Continue cooking until the pork is cooked through (about 6 minutes).

Step 3

For the batter, add all the ingredients for the batter to a medium bowl and stir until dissolved. Set aside to bloom for at least 30 minutes.

Step 4

You will need a 10-inch nonstick skillet with a lid to make the steamed rice rolls. Start by greasing the skillet with vegetable or shallot oil. I like to use a paper towel to rub the oil into the non-stick skillet until none is visible. Heat on medium-high. Pour a small amount of batter (about ⅓ cup) and immediately lift the pan and swirl the batter around until it covers the bottom of the skillet. You want the batter to be as thin as possible. Cover the pan with a lid and let it steam for about 30 seconds.

Step 5

Remove lid. Add a thin layer of the pork mixture to toward one end of the rice sheet and roll it up using a spatula. Alternatively, if the rice sheet slides off easily, completely flip it onto an oiled sheet pan and make the rolls off the stovetop.

Step 6

until all the batter and filling are gone.

Step 7

Serve the rice rolls with lettuce, bean sprouts, and cucumbers. Top with fried shallots, Vietnamese ham, and serve the sauce on the side. To eat, drizzle the sauce on top, give it a good mix and enjoy.