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When it comes to Tet, it's synonymous with a pot full of round, intact banh chung. For those who are far from home, a piece of banh chung on Tet day is truly luxurious for them. Not only is it difficult to find the ingredients to complete the banh chung, but now finding each dong leaf is no easier than ever. Understanding the sentiments of those far from their hometown, Mytour suggests wrapping banh chung with square, green, banana leaves, which are as beautiful as dong leaves.
1. Wrapping banh chung with banana leaves without a mold
Wrapping banh chung with banana leaves will help you solve the problem of scarce dong leaves. Because it's not always dong leaf season. Even in Vietnam during the summer days, dong leaves are often difficult to find in local markets.
Image: Collected
Moreover, for families without a wooden mold, don't worry. Here, Mytour will guide you thoroughly on how to wrap banh chung with banana leaves without using a mold and still make it square and sturdy.
Image: @treehuggercafe
Ingredients prepared for banh chung
(The ingredients below are only enough to wrap 2-3 square banh chungs, so if you want to make a large quantity, you just need to multiply accordingly.)
- 1 kg glutinous rice
- 400 grams peeled mung beans
- 500 grams pork belly
- 1 bunch fresh banana leaves
- 1 bunch thinly sliced shallots
- Seasonings: salt, seasoning powder, ground pepper
Preparing ingredients for making banh chung
Step 1: Clean the glutinous rice and soak it with 300ml of filtered water for 6-8 hours or overnight. Similarly, clean and soak the mung beans for a shorter period, around 4-5 hours is enough. Note: If you want the banh chung to have a beautiful green color, you can soak the glutinous rice with pandan leaf extract overnight.
Step 2: Cut the pork belly into bite-sized pieces. Then marinate with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground pepper, ½ teaspoon seasoning powder, and a little white sugar. Mix the meat well and marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before wrapping.
Step 3: Drain the glutinous rice and mung beans to remove excess water when they are soft and have had enough time. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar to the glutinous rice, mix well by hand. Add another teaspoon of salt to the mung beans to make the filling flavorful.
Image: Huong Pham
Step 4: Clean each banana leaf carefully and dry thoroughly. Then cut the banana leaves into large rectangles. Note: Avoid leaving the banana leaves wet when wrapping. Handle gently as banana leaves tear more easily than dong leaves.
Instructions for wrapping and cooking banh chung
Step 5: Place banana leaves on a tray or any flat surface. Take 4 banana leaves and alternate them to form a cross shape (vertical - horizontal - vertical - horizontal).
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Step 6: Pour half of the glutinous rice into a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of mung beans, and place a piece of pork on top. Then cover the pork with mung beans using a spoon and the remaining half of the glutinous rice.
Step 7: Fold the opposite sides of the cross shape together to form a square. Use thin strings to secure the layers of leaves tightly together.
Image: Collected
Step 8: Repeat the same process with the remaining banh chung. Then place the banh chung in a pot and pour water to cover the surface of the banh. The cooking time for banh chung is usually from 8 to 10 hours. Note: Regularly check the water level in the pot. Continuously add more water to keep the banh submerged.
The finished product after completion
Wrapping banh chung with banana leaves without a mold may not result in perfectly square corners, but rest assured the banh will still be vibrant green and deliciously fragrant if the steps above are followed correctly. The succulent pork belly blends harmoniously with the chewy rice cake. A flavor that cannot be missed on the traditional Tet holiday.
Image: Collected
Don't miss:
- How long to boil banh chung?
- How to wrap Tet cakes in the Mekong Delta style
2. How to wrap banh chung with banana leaves using a mold
Wrapping banh chung with banana leaves using a mold ensures it's no different from wrapping with dong leaves. The mold gives it a more elegant, square shape. Follow Mytour's super simple wrapping method below! (Ingredients prepared for 2-3 cakes).
Ingredients prepared for banh chung
- 1 kg glutinous rice
- 400 grams mung beans
- 500 grams pork belly
- 1 wooden mold
- 1 bunch fresh banana leaves
- 1 bunch thinly sliced shallots
- Seasonings: salt, coffee, black pepper, sugar
Preparing ingredients
Step 1: Similarly to the method above, rinse the rice thoroughly and then soak it with 300ml of filtered water for 6-8 hours. Soak the mung beans for about 4-5 hours.
Step 2: Cut the pork belly into long pieces and marinate with spices including: 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground pepper, ½ teaspoon seasoning powder, and a bit of white sugar, then marinate for about 1-2 hours. Note: Do not use fish sauce to marinate the meat, as it will make the cake spoil quickly and not last long.
Step 3: Drain the mung beans and glutinous rice, then mix with salt, sugar, and a bit of black pepper for a rich flavor.
Step 4: Wash both sides of the banana leaves then cut them into squares to dry.
Instructions for wrapping and cooking banh chung
Step 5: Spread the banana leaf on a flat surface then fold it in half along the length of the leaf. Place the folded edge into the cake mold and let the leaf open up. Position so that the leaf hugs tightly around the two bottom edges of the mold.
Image: Collected
Step 6: Fold the banana leaf to form a triangle shape at the bottom of the mold. Repeat the same for the other 2 sides.
Step 7: Spread a layer of glutinous rice evenly on all sides. Then add 2 tablespoons of mung beans and place the meat filling in the middle. Next, cover with a layer of mung beans and finally with glutinous rice.
Image: Phạm Ngọc Hoa
Step 8: Place another layer of banana leaf on top. Fold the cake and tie it tightly with strings, then boil the cake.
Image: @theblindcook
Finished Product
With this method of wrapping banh chung with banana leaves, each cake comes out of the oven with a perfectly square shape, with every corner intact. The cake is vibrant green, with smooth mung beans, and evenly cooked fragrant pork. Made with glutinous rice, the cake's texture is delightfully chewy, making it incredibly satisfying to eat.
Image: Collected
3. How to Store Banana Leaf Wrapped Banh Chung
On Tet days, banh chung is often made in large quantities. Some are kept for long-term consumption, while others are given as gifts to family members who live far away. Therefore, the need to preserve banh chung to prevent mold, spoilage, and decay is always a concern for many people.
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Traditional banh chung typically has a shelf life of about 10 days. This number may decrease if you don't wrap the leaves properly or marinate the meat with fish sauce. The only way to preserve banh chung for an extended period is to store them in the refrigerator. When ready to eat, you can reheat them by boiling for a few minutes.
Additionally, if you want to preserve banh chung for longer, you can use a vacuum sealer and store them in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator.
Banh chung is an indispensable dish during the Tet holiday for many Vietnamese families. It brings us closer to the Tet flavor. If you can't wrap banh chung with dong leaves, there's still a way to wrap banh chung with banana leaves as an alternative while still ensuring the quality of the finished product.
You might be interested:
- 3 easy ways to wrap Tet banh chung
- How to make sticky rice banh chung
