How to Make Hanoi-Style Hot Bánh Đúc

Prepare the batter

To make the hot bánh đúc batter, prepare rice flour—any type will work, such as 3A rice flour, pure rice starch, or grind regular rice into a fine powder.

In addition to rice flour, use cornstarch to add thickness, create a soft and fragrant texture, and tapioca starch for thickness and elasticity.

Aside from these three flours, Cookbeo also uses a bit of slaked lime, typically used in betel chewing, which can be found in stores selling betel leaves and offerings. Soak the flour in a little slaked lime to increase the firmness and elasticity of the bánh đúc. If you don't have slaked lime, increase the amount of tapioca starch and reduce the rice flour accordingly.

Mix the three flours—100g rice flour, 30g cornstarch, and 40g tapioca starch. This amount of flour will yield over 1kg of bánh, enough for 5-6 bowls.

Next, dissolve 1 teaspoon of slaked lime in 1.2 liters of water.

Once the lime sediment settles, pour out about 500ml of the clear water on top into the flour bowl. Then add 600ml of plain water and stir well.

After mixing, let the batter rest for at least 2 hours.

Prepare the filling for bánh đúc nóng

The filling for bánh đúc nóng varies by region, but it’s often paired with stir-fried minced pork and wood ear mushrooms, along with golden-fried tofu, minced radish, quail eggs, etc. Cookbeo will share the most common filling—stir-fried minced pork with wood ear mushrooms. Additional toppings include crispy fried shallots and fresh herbs.

• Minced pork with wood ear mushrooms:

Rinse the wood ear mushrooms, soak them in water until soft, clean thoroughly, drain, and mince finely.

For the pork, use pork shoulder, which is tender and flavorful due to its balance of lean meat and fat. When mincing, avoid making it too fine as it can become crumbly.

Marinate 200g of minced pork with 10g oyster sauce, 12g fish sauce, and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Adjust the seasoning to taste, but don’t over-season, as you will also drizzle fish sauce over the dish when serving.

Peel and slice the shallots thinly. Stir-fry the pork filling right before stirring the batter so it stays warm and moist.

• Fried shallots:

To enhance the dish’s flavor, fried shallots are a must. You can buy them ready-made or fry them at home.

If making at home, peel and wash the shallots, let them dry, and slice them thinly. Slice along the grain for longer, more intact pieces.

If time permits, dry the sliced shallots in the sun or dehydrate them to remove excess moisture. This helps them stay crispy longer.

When frying, use plenty of oil so the shallots cook evenly and drain well. You can add a teaspoon of flour to the oil for extra crispiness. Start frying when the oil is still cold so the shallots cook gradually and stay crispy longer.

Fry over medium-low heat. When the shallots float to the surface, stir gently to ensure even browning, especially around the edges, where they tend to stick and burn.

Once the shallots turn a light golden color, remove them from the oil and let them drain. Even after removing from the pan, they will continue to cook due to residual heat, so don’t wait until they are too dark in the pan.

Spread the fried shallots out to cool quickly and store in an airtight container once fully cooled to keep them crispy.

• Fresh herbs:

The ideal herb for bánh đúc nóng with minced pork and fried shallots is cilantro (coriander). Clean and chop the cilantro finely.

Prepare fish sauce for bánh đúc nóng

The fish sauce for bánh đúc nóng should be mildly flavored to complement the filling and the batter. It’s similar to the dipping sauce for bánh cuốn but slightly more diluted.

The recipe for the fish sauce includes:

• 200ml water
• 40ml fish sauce (Cookbeo uses Nam Ngư anchovy fish sauce)
• 28-30g sugar
• 13ml rice vinegar

Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil. The sauce should have a balanced sweet, salty, and mildly tangy taste. Once it boils, remove from heat and pour into a bowl.

Instead of water, you can use bone broth for a naturally sweet and rich flavor. If using bone broth, reduce or omit the sugar.

Depending on the saltiness of the fish sauce, adjust the seasoning accordingly.

Stir-fry the pork filling

Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan. You can use the oil from frying the shallots for added flavor.

Add the sliced shallots and sauté until golden, then add 1 teaspoon of fish sauce for extra aroma.

Next, add the minced pork and stir-fry over medium heat until cooked through, with no pink remaining. Add the minced wood ear mushrooms and stir well.

Cook for another minute, then sprinkle with ground pepper. Stir well, turn off the heat, and cover the pan to keep the filling warm. Alternatively, you can stir-fry the filling just before serving so both the bánh đúc and the filling are hot.

Cook bánh đúc nóng

After letting the batter rest for 2-3 hours, the flour will settle at the bottom of the bowl. Pour off the clear water on top, as it will have a sour taste.

When pouring off the water, measure how much you discard so you can replace it with the same amount of clean water to ensure the consistency of the bánh is not too thick or too thin. In this case, Cookbeo discarded 800ml and will replace it with 800ml of clean water.

At this stage, if you have bone broth, use it for a richer flavor.

Stir well and pour the batter into a pot. Season with a little salt so the bánh isn’t too bland.

For the amount of batter and water mentioned, season with 5g of seasoning powder, 2g of MSG, and 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Stir well and heat over medium-high heat. For example, if using an electric stove with 8 settings, set it to 5.

The most labor-intensive part of making bánh đúc nóng, aside from getting the flour ratio right, is stirring the batter. You must stir constantly and evenly in a circular motion to ensure a smooth, creamy texture without burning or sticking.

Keep stirring until the batter thickens and turns from white to ivory. At this point, reduce the heat to low (setting 2) and continue stirring to cook the batter through. After 2 minutes, lower the heat to its lowest setting (setting 1) and keep stirring.

The total cooking time from when you start heating the batter is about 18-19 minutes for this amount of batter. You can cook longer if you are making a larger batch.

When it's almost ready, the batter will become elastic and smooth. When you lift your chopsticks, the batter should stretch into smooth, continuous strands. Or when you press the chopsticks together and pull them apart, the batter should form a thin film. This consistency is perfect—not as thick as bánh đúc lạc, but not as runny as baby porridge. It’s similar to the texture of bánh giò, but a bit softer.

Once the batter is cooked, turn off the heat. If not serving immediately, cover the pot or keep the batter warm in a rice cooker or thermal pot.

Scoop the bánh đúc into bowls, top with the stir-fried pork and mushrooms, fried shallots, and herbs.

Serve the fish sauce on the side and drizzle it over the bánh đúc when eating.

Bánh đúc nóng should be eaten hot to fully enjoy its soft, silky texture, the fragrant pork and mushroom filling, the crispy fried shallots, the fresh cilantro, and the mildly sweet and tangy fish sauce. It’s a perfect dish for chilly weather.

Enjoy your cooking, following the method shared by Cookbeo!