Entree: Vietnam – Hue – Bánh Nậm (Flat steamed rice-and-tapioca cake filled with savory spiced shrimp and pork, wrapped in banana leaf)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 12 min

Total 35 min

Ingredients

- 1 cup (130 g) rice flour
- 1/3 cup (45 g) tapioca starch
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water, warmed
- 8 oz (225 g) shrimp, peeled and finely chopped
- 6 oz (170 g) pork shoulder, finely minced
- 2 shallots, minced
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) fish sauce
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) sugar
- 1/4 tsp (1 g) black pepper
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil, divided
- 6–8 small pieces banana leaf, softened over heat for wrapping
- Fried shallots or sliced scallions, for garnish
- Nuoc mam cham or chili-lime dipping sauce, for serving

Instructions

1. Make the filling by heating 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat; sauté minced shallots until translucent, add chopped shrimp and minced pork, then season with fish sauce, sugar, and pepper; cook, breaking up meat, until mixture is just cooked through and fragrant, about 4–6 minutes; set aside. Whisk rice flour and tapioca starch with warm water and a pinch of salt until smooth to form a thin batter.
2. Place softened banana leaf pieces on a work surface and lightly oil them; spoon about 2–3 tbsp batter onto each leaf and spread thinly into a rectangle, top each with 1–2 tbsp of the filling, fold the leaf to enclose the cake, and arrange in a steamer. Steam over boiling water for 8–12 minutes until the cake is translucent and set. Remove, garnish with fried shallots or scallions, and serve warm with nuoc mam cham.