“Bánh Giò” is a famous traditional Vietnamese dish, loved for its soft and smooth rice flour dough, filled with fragrant minced pork, wood ear mushrooms, and shallots, all wrapped in fresh green banana leaves. This dish not only reflects the delicate flavors of Vietnamese cuisine but also shares similarities with certain Hmong dishes, particularly in the use of familiar ingredients like pork and banana leaves. Let’s explore “Banh Gio” through the lens of Hmong culture and cuisine, to appreciate the unique fusion between these two culinary traditions.
Main ingredients to make a delicious banh gio
To make banh gio, you need to prepare the following ingredients:
- Cake crust: Rice flour, coconut milk, salt, sugar. Rice flour is mixed with coconut milk to create a soft, smooth crust.
- Cake filling: Pork (or chicken), wood earmushrooms, onions, pepper, spices. The meat and mushrooms are ground and stir-fried with spices to create a rich flavor.
How to Make Banh Gio
In a large bowl add rice flour, tapioca starch, salt, sugar and water then mix well. If the powder is lumpy, use a food strainer to remove it.
Fry the shallots with cooking oil, then add the minced pork and stir-fry until cooked. Next, add salt, pepper, and wood ear mushrooms and continue to stir-fry until the spices are absorbed into the meat.
After dissolving the powder with water, heat it up. When the powder thickens and there is no more liquid, turn off the stove.
Wrapping the cake, this is an important step that requires meticulousness.
- Soak the banana leaves in boiling water so that they are soft and do not tear when wrapping
- Spread the banana leaves on the table, in order of large leaves below, small leaves above and let the water cool, then fold them into a triangle, and tear off the excess banana leaves
- Next, fold them into a triangle again to create a crease.
- From the crease 1 cm away, fold the banana leaves into a triangle
- Then turn it over, from the crease 1 cm away, continue to fold the banana leaves into a triangle.
Place the folded banana leaf in the cup then scoop a ladle of dough in. Next, add the filling of stir-fried minced meat and 2 quail eggs, then scoop ladle of dough over top.
Then fold the 4 corners of the banana leaf into a triangle. This will wrap a beautiful banh gio like a pyramid.
After wrapping the entire cake, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in a steamer for about 30 minutes until the cake is cooked.
How to enjoy Banh gio
Banh gio is usually enjoyed hot to fully appreciate its flavor and soft texture. Here are some ways to enjoy banh gio:
- Pair with Fresh Vegetables: Enjoy Banh gio with fresh vegetables like cucumber, tomato, or herbs to add a refreshing contrast and balance the flavors.
- Add Condiments: Enhance the flavor of Banh gio by serving it with pickled vegetables, chili sauce, or other condiments such as soy sauce, black bean sauce, or shrimp paste.
- Combine with Soup: Banh gio pairs well with a hot bowl of soup, such as sour soup or radish soup, to make a complete and comforting meal.
- As a Main Course: Banh gio can be served as a main dish during family meals, especially during festive occasions or in the winter.
- For Breakfast: Banh gio is also a great choice for breakfast, providing energy and a rich flavor to start the day.
Banh Gio Recipe
Ingredients
- 300 g rice flour
- 50 g tapioca starch
- 500 ml pork bone broth or water
- 200 ml coconut milk optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 300 g minced pork
- 50 g dried wood ear mushrooms soaked in water to soften, chopped
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- Fresh banana leaves washed and blanched in hot water to soften
Instructions
- Prepare the filling– Sauté the shallot in cooking oil until fragrant, then add the minced pork and cook until browned.– Add the chopped wood ear mushrooms, fish sauce, salt, and pepper. Continue stirring until the pork absorbs all the flavors and is fully cooked.
- Make the dough– Mix rice flour and tapioca starch with pork bone broth (or coconut milk if desired). – Place the mixture in a pot, add salt and cooking oil, and stir over low heat until the dough thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pot.
- Wrap the Banh gio– Lay the softened banana leaves on a flat surface, spoon a portion of dough into the center.– Add a spoonful of the filling on top of the dough.– Cover the filling with another layer of dough.– Fold the banana leaves into a pyramid shape and secure them with string or banana leaf strips.
- Steam the Banh gio: Place the wrapped Banh gio in a steamer and steam for 30-45 minutes, until the dough becomes soft and translucent.
- Serve: Banh gio is best enjoyed warm, served with fresh vegetables, cucumber, or chili sauce.
Video
Notes
- You can add quail eggs to the filling for extra flavor.
- If banana leaves are not available, aluminum foil can be used as an alternative.
If you want to immerse yourself in the authentic flavors of Hmong cooking, be sure to explore the wide array of recipes on Hmong Food
Hi, I’m Dan, originally from Hmong Vietnam, I’m very happy to share the food and culinary culture of the Asian Hmong community with friends around the world. I hope that each article and recipe will help people understand more about the culinary life and culture of the Hmong people!
