Easy Recipe for Delicious, Fragrant Bánh Giò

Bánh giò is a tempting dish loved by many for its soft, fragrant crust blending perfectly with the delicious meat filling without being overwhelming. This is truly an ideal light dish, providing ample nutrients for the body, suitable for both breakfast and snacks throughout the day. In this article, Mytour will guide you to the kitchen to make delicious, fragrant bánh giò to treat the whole family.

Prepare the Ingredients for Bánh Giò

• 320g rice flour.
• 80g tapioca starch.
• 10 large banana leaves.
• 200g minced pork.
• 10 cooked quail eggs.
• 20g shiitake mushrooms.
• 30g wood ear mushrooms.
• 200g chopped shallots.
• Chopped scallions, onions, garlic, ground pepper: Each 1 tablespoon
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil.
• ½ liter chicken broth.
• Seasonings: fish sauce, salt, sugar, seasoning powder…

Steps to Make Bánh Giò

1. Prepare Banana Leaves

• Cut off the banana leaf stems and cut them into 30cm squares.
• Rinse the banana leaves thoroughly and drain.
• Bring 500ml of water to a boil, then boil the banana leaves for about 5 minutes, remove and drain.

2. Prepare Dough for Bánh Giò Crust

• Combine 320g rice flour, 80g tapioca starch, then add water and mix well, soak the mixture for about 1 hour. After that, pour off the soaked water and stir the mixture with chicken broth and ½ tablespoon of salt to blend the ingredients.
• Place a pot on the stove and simmer over low heat, stirring the dough constantly to thicken, you can add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil during the stirring process.

3. Prepare Filling for Bánh Giò

• Heat a pan with oil, add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of minced onions, 1 tablespoon of minced shallots, and sauté until fragrant.
• Add 200g minced pork and stir-fry until nearly cooked, then add 30g wood ear mushrooms, 20g cleaned and finely chopped shiitake mushrooms, 1 tablespoon of fried shallots.
• Season with 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, and 1 tablespoon of ground pepper, then stir-fry until the meat and mushrooms are cooked.

4. Wrap Bánh Giò with Banana Leaves

Fold banana leaves into funnel shapes, brush a layer of cooking oil on the inner surface of the leaves to prevent sticking. Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough and spread evenly, then add the meat and mushroom filling and quail egg. Next, scoop another tablespoon of dough to cover the filling and spread evenly. Finally, fold the banana leaf into a square shape, and you can use string to tie it securely if desired.

5. Making Bánh Giò Using a Bowl Without Wrapping Banana Leaves

If you cannot prepare banana leaves, you can make bánh giò using a bowl. Instead of wrapping with banana leaves, brush a thin layer of oil inside the bowl and add the dough. Then, use a spoon to spread the dough evenly, add the filling, and cover with another layer of dough, spreading it evenly again with a spoon. To prevent the bánh giò from getting soggy when steaming, you can use plastic wrap to cover the mouth of the bowl.

6. Steaming the Bánh Giò

Arrange the bánh giò in the steamer, keeping some distance between them to ensure even cooking. Steam the bánh giò for about 20 - 30 minutes.

7. Finished Product

Bánh giò has a smooth, glossy surface, with no filling visible when the leaves are peeled off. The crust is fully cooked, very soft, and not soggy. The filling is soft, chewy, blending the richness of eggs and the aroma of pepper.

Enjoying the delicious, soft, and fragrant bánh giò

Bánh giò tastes best when eaten warm. You can enjoy it plain or with fish sauce or soy sauce according to your preference. A little tip: bánh giò paired with pickled vegetables, Hanoi-style, is also delicious!

Things to Note When Making Bánh Giò

To successfully make bánh giò with the perfect flavor, follow the provided recipe instructions precisely. Additionally, here are some points to keep in mind:

• Soaking the flour before making the cake helps it expand, and pouring water to soak the flour prevents the cake from becoming sour.
• When soaking rice flour and starch, do not add salt so that the flour can naturally expand.
• When boiling quail eggs for the cake filling, add a little salt to the water to make it easier to peel the eggs.
• If eating bánh giò with fish sauce or soy sauce, reduce the amount of salt in the cake-making steps to avoid the cake becoming too salty.
• You can also add finely chopped spring onions to the cake batter to enhance its flavor.
• The steaming time for the cake depends on the size of the cake and the degree of dough cooking when stirring. If the dough is 50% cooked, the steaming time for large cakes is 35 minutes, and for small leaf cakes, it is 30 minutes. If the dough is 80% cooked, the steaming time for large cakes is 30 minutes, and for small leaf cakes, it is 20 minutes.
• Eating bánh giò warm is tastier than eating it hot.

Frequently Asked Questions When Cooking Bánh Giò

1. What is the ideal ratio for mixing bánh giò flour?

Mix 320 grams of rice flour, 80 grams of tapioca flour, and half a tablespoon of salt to make bánh giò flour. Put all these ingredients in a large pot with 1.5 liters of bone broth, then stir well.

2. How many calories does a bánh giò contain?

A single bánh giò (150 grams) contains approximately 440 calories, with fat accounting for about 33.6 grams.

3. What are common accompaniments for bánh giò?

Bánh giò can be enjoyed plain or paired with various sides such as pork sausage, grilled meatballs, sausages, beef sausage, pork knuckles, chili sauce, and even pickled vegetables, following the typical eating style of Hanoians.