Bánh ít trần are sticky rice dumplings from the South, with a salty filling inside each one. The dough is sticky rice flour, and the filling is mung bean fried with pork, dried shrimp and shallot. The dumplings are steamed on banana leaves and finished with spring onion and olive oil. Time: knead the dough for 30 minutes, then let it rest, covered, for 30 minutes. Ingredients 1 bowl sticky rice flour ½ bowl mung bean (steamed and no cover) ¼ dried shrimps (the original gives no unit) 100g half lean, half fat pork Salt, olive oil, spring onion, pepper, shallots (purple onions), fish sauce, Maggi seasoning powder How to make bánh ít trần 1. Make the dough Pour the sticky rice flour into a bowl and add ½ teaspoon salt. Slowly pour in 100ml water at 50 degrees, or use fresh milk instead. Knead well until the dough is soft and smooth (30 minutes). Cover it with a nylon bag for 30 minutes. 2. Make the filling Soak the dried shrimps in water, then smash them quickly. Clean the pork well and slice it small. Heat 2 teaspoons oil, add sliced shallot and fry until fragrant. Add the sliced pork and fry for 3–5 minutes, then add the shrimps to the pan. Pour the mung beans into the pan and stir gently with a wooden spoon. Season with salt, fish sauce, Maggi seasoning powder and pepper to suit your taste. For the author, this is the important step that gives the dumplings their flavour. Fry for 5–8 minutes, until the mung bean is dry, then turn off the heat. Let it cool down, then roll the filling into balls with your hands. 3. Wrap the dumplings Divide the dough from step 1 into equal balls. Press each one thin, put a ball of filling in the centre, then wrap it and roll it carefully. Carry on until you have used up all the balls. 4. Steam and serve Clean the banana leaves and use a napkin to soak up all the water on them. Arrange them in the steaming pot, spread a little oil on top and set the dumplings on the leaves one by one. Steam over small heat for 15–20 minutes. Now and then, open the lid and wipe the water off it with a napkin. When the dumplings are cooked, spread a little spring onion and olive oil mixture on top of each one. Serve with dipping fish sauce and pickled carrot and white onion. Share:
