Bánh Giò
Bánh Giò are savory Vietnamese pyramid-shaped dumplings made from a delicate rice flour dough, filled with seasoned ground pork and wood ear mushrooms, and steamed to perfection within banana leaves. They are a popular and satisfying breakfast or snack.
🧂 Ingredients
- 300 g Rice flour(Use glutinous rice flour for a chewier texture, or a blend of regular rice flour and glutinous rice flour for a balanced texture.)
- 100 g Tapioca starch(Helps create a tender and slightly chewy dough.)
- 300 g Ground pork(About 5-10% fat content is ideal for flavor and moisture.)
- 30 g Dried wood ear mushrooms(Rehydrate in warm water until softened, then finely chop.)
- 2 medium Shallots(Finely minced.)
- 2 cloves Garlic(Minced.)
- 2 tbsp Fish sauce
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- 700 ml Water(For the dough.)
- 1 tsp Salt(For the dough.)
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil(For sautéing the filling.)
- 12 Banana leaves(Fresh or frozen. If frozen, thaw completely. Wipe clean and cut into approximately 8x8 inch squares. You may need to briefly wilt them over a flame or in hot water to make them pliable.)
- for serving Nuoc cham(Vietnamese dipping sauce, typically made with fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, water, garlic, and chili.)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Prepare the filling: Rehydrate the dried wood ear mushrooms in warm water for about 20-30 minutes until softened. Drain, trim any tough stems, and finely chop them. In a bowl, combine the ground pork, chopped mushrooms, minced shallots, minced garlic, fish sauce, and black pepper. Mix well until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
⏱️ 20 minutes - 2
Make the dough: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the rice flour, tapioca starch, salt, and 700ml of water until smooth. Place the saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. The mixture will gradually thicken. Continue stirring and cooking until it forms a very thick, cohesive paste that pulls away from the sides of the pan, resembling mashed potatoes. This should take about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat.
⏱️ 20 minutes - 3
Assemble the dumplings: Take one prepared banana leaf square. Fold it into a cone shape, overlapping the edges to form a watertight pocket. You can use a small piece of banana leaf or a toothpick to secure the bottom if needed. Spoon about 2-3 tablespoons of the rice flour dough into the cone, creating a well in the center. Place about 1-2 tablespoons of the pork filling into the well. Cover the filling with another tablespoon or two of dough, sealing it completely. Ensure there are no gaps. Fold the top of the banana leaf over the dough to create a neat pyramid shape. Secure the folds by tucking them in or using a small strip of banana leaf to tie it. Repeat with the remaining dough, filling, and banana leaves.
⏱️ 30 minutes - 4
Steam the dumplings: Arrange the assembled Bánh Giò upright in a steamer basket, ensuring they do not touch each other. You may need to steam them in batches depending on the size of your steamer. Fill your pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, place the steamer basket with the dumplings inside. Cover tightly and steam for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the dough is translucent and firm to the touch, and the filling is cooked through. Check the water level periodically and refill with boiling water if necessary to maintain steam.
⏱️ 1 hour 15 minutes - 5
Serve: Carefully remove the steamed Bánh Giò from the steamer. Let them rest for a few minutes before unwrapping. Serve hot with nuoc cham for dipping.
⏱️ 5 minutes
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Prepare banana leaves by wiping them clean and briefly wilting them over a low flame or in hot water to make them pliable and prevent tearing during wrapping.
- ✓The traditional pyramid shape is achieved by carefully folding the banana leaves around the dough and filling.
- ✓Bánh Giò is a popular and satisfying breakfast item in Vietnam, often enjoyed with a side of nuoc cham.
- ✓Ensure the dough is cooked to a translucent and firm consistency; undercooked dough will be gummy.
✨ Twist Ideas
Inspiration for your own version of this recipe
- Add a cooked quail egg to the center of the filling before sealing the dumpling.
- For a vegetarian version, replace the ground pork with finely chopped firm tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and seasoned vegetables like carrots and jicama.