Traditional Bánh Chưng Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups (400g) glutinous rice 2 cups (400g) glutinous rice
• 1 cup (200g) mung beans 1 cup (200g) mung beans
• 200g pork belly, diced 200g pork belly, diced
• 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 10-12 banana leaves, cut into squares and blanched 10-12 banana leaves, cut into squares and blanched
• Cooking twine Cooking twine

Nutrition

• Calories (kcal / KJ): 350 kcal / 1465 KJ
• Fat (total, saturated): 10g, 3g
• Carbohydrates (total, sugars): 55g, 2g
• Protein: 10g
• Fiber: 3g
• Salt: 1g

Preparation

1. 1.
   Soak the glutinous rice in water for 4 hours, then drain.
2. 2.
   Rinse the mung beans and cook them in boiling water until soft. Drain and mash them into a paste.
3. 3.
   In a pan, sauté the diced pork belly until cooked through. Season with salt and black pepper.
4. 4.
   In a large bowl, mix the cooked rice, mashed mung beans, and sautéed pork belly together.
5. 5.
   Take a square piece of banana leaf and place a portion of the rice mixture in the center.
6. 6.
   Fold the banana leaf to form a square parcel, securing it with cooking twine.
7. 7.
   Repeat the process until all the rice mixture is used.
8. 8.
   Place the dumplings in a large pot of boiling water and cook for 6-8 hours, adding more water as needed.
9. 9.
   Remove the dumplings from the pot and let them cool before serving.

Treat your ingredients with care...

• Glutinous rice — Make sure to soak the rice for at least 4 hours to achieve the desired sticky texture.
• Mung beans — Cook the mung beans until they are soft enough to mash easily.
• Banana leaves — Blanch the banana leaves in boiling water to soften them and make them more pliable for wrapping.

Tips & Tricks

• To enhance the flavor, you can add a small amount of dried shrimp or shiitake mushrooms to the filling.
• If you don't have banana leaves, you can use parchment paper as a substitute.
• Serve the Bánh chưng with a side of pickled vegetables or a dipping sauce made from fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and chili.

Serving advice

Bánh chưng is traditionally served as part of a larger Lunar New Year feast. It can be enjoyed as a main dish or as a snack. Serve the dumplings warm or at room temperature.

Presentation advice

To present the Bánh chưng beautifully, unwrap the banana leaves and place the dumplings on a platter. Garnish with fresh herbs such as cilantro or mint for a pop of color.