Vietnamese Tapioca Dumplings (Bánh Bột Lọc)
Ingredients
- 16 oz tapioca flour
- 2 cups boiling water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ lb shrimp sliced
- ½ lb pork belly sliced into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- ⅓ tablespoon sugar
- ¼ tablespoon MSG
- 1 small shallot minced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1½ teaspoon paprika
- banana leaves optional
Instructions
Make the filling
- Slice the pork belly into small pieces and season with half of the fish sauce, sugar, MSG, minced garlic, minced shallot and paprika. In a separate bowl, season the sliced shrimp with the other half. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the pork belly and cook until no longer pink, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and sauté for 1 minute.
- Continue cooking for another 2–3 minutes, until everything is fully cooked. Turn off the heat and let cool.
Make the dough
- Add the tapioca flour and salt to a mixing bowl, then slowly pour in 2 cups of boiling water while stirring with a rice paddle. Once it reaches a dough-like consistency, knead with your hands (be careful, it is hot). Continue kneading until the dough is smooth, about 5 minutes.
- Keep the dough in a plastic bag so it doesn't dry out while you make the dumplings.
Method 1: Boiled dumplings
- Take a small piece of dough and flatten it into a circle. Add about 1 teaspoon of filling, fold the wrapper in half and pinch the edges to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. While you wait, prepare an ice bath.
- Add the dumplings to the boiling water and cook until they float to the top and turn translucent, about 3–5 minutes.
- Scoop the cooked dumplings into the ice bath to stop the cooking, then drain and transfer to a plate.
Method 2: Steamed in banana leaves
- Cut the banana leaves into rectangles about 6 x 4 inches. Wipe them clean and briefly pass them over a flame or dip in hot water so they're pliable without tearing.
- Place a small piece of dough in the center of a leaf and press it into a thin rectangle. Add about 1 teaspoon of filling along the middle.
- Fold the leaf over so the dough wraps around the filling, then fold in the sides to make a neat packet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
- Arrange the packets in a steamer over boiling water and steam for 15–20 minutes, until the dough is translucent and fully cooked.
Serve
- Top the dumplings with fried shallots and scallion oil, and serve with nước mắm chấm for dipping. Banana leaf dumplings are served in their leaves. Unwrap as you eat.