Bánh cuốn — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Delicate steamed rice flour sheets rolled around a savory filling of seasoned ground chicken and wood ear mushrooms, served with crispy fried shallots, fresh herbs, and a light fish sauce dipping broth with a side of Vietnamese charcuterie.

Ingredients

300g rice flour
100g tapioca starch
500ml water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil plus more for brushing
300g ground chicken
100g dried wood ear mushrooms, soaked and minced
3 shallots, minced
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon pepper
Fried shallots for topping
Nuoc cham dipping sauce
Fresh cilantro and mint

Instructions

1 Make the batter by whisking rice flour, tapioca starch, water, and oil until completely smooth, then strain through a fine sieve and let rest.
2 Prepare the filling by sauteing shallots until golden, adding ground chicken and mushrooms, seasoning with fish sauce and pepper, and cooking until dry.
3 Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat, brush with oil, pour a thin layer of batter, swirl to coat evenly, cover and steam for one to two minutes.
4 Carefully peel the translucent rice sheet off the pan, place a spoonful of filling along one edge, and roll up gently.
5 Repeat with remaining batter and filling, arranging the finished rolls on plates as you go.
6 Top the rolls with crispy fried shallots and fresh herbs, and serve with warm nuoc cham dipping sauce on the side.

Did You Know?

Making banh cuon by the traditional method requires stretching a thin layer of rice batter over a steaming cloth, waiting just seconds for it to set, then peeling it off with a bamboo stick. Expert makers can produce dozens of sheets per minute.