How To: Bánh Bột Lọc (Vietnamese Clear Pork and Shrimp Dumplings)

Hi Nibblers!

            I am so excited to be sharing this recipe with you! It's one of my all time favourite Vietnamese dishes and one I crave with the strongest intensity. I had one of my urges for Bánh Bột Lọc recently when my parents were away on holidays which meant I was in charge of all things to do with food. My tummy was grumbling. I started researching. I started looking at pictures. I couldn't take it anymore. The lust was just too much. I woke up the next day, gathered the ingredients from the shop and away I went. It was the best decision I ever made. They tasted exactly like I wanted them to and it was super easy to do. I made Mum a dish as soon as she came from the airport and now she can't stop asking for it. And with Mother's Day today, this is the perfect recipe to celebrate.

How To: Bánh Bột Lọc (Vietnamese Clear Pork and Shrimp Dumplings)

Yields approx. 50 dumplings
What you'll need:

Shrimp and Pork ready to go!

For the filling

- 500g diced pork shoulder
- 500g shrimp, shell left on (head and tail cut off)
- 1 1/2 Tbs. cooking caramel (creates a nicer golden brown colour)
- 4 Tbs. brown sugar
- 4 Tbs. fish sauce
- 2 Tbs. oil
For dumpling dough (adapted from 'The Spices of Life' blog - Her blog really helped me with this recipe)
- 400g tapioca starch
- 2 Tbs. oil
- 315 mL boiling water or 1 and 1/4 cup
- 1 tsp. salt

P.S I didn't dice my pork finely
enough! Cut it small so it's
easier to fill

For spring onion/scallion oil
- 10 sprigs of scallion/spring onion finely sliced
- 1/2 canola oil
For fish sauce dipping sauce
- 1 cup of fish sauce
- 1L of water
- 260g sugar

How To:
Start with the fish sauce:
1. Mix sugar, fish sauce and water in a saucepan on low to medium heat until boil and well combined
2. Remove from heat and set aside until needed
Make the filing:
1. Heat oil and sugar on medium to high heat, constantly stirring to create a caramel sauce

Before the sugar caramelises

2. Add diced pork and shrimp and stir to evenly distribute heat
3. Add fish sauce and stir until well combined
4. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally then set aside until needed
For scallion oil:

Scallion Oil

1. Heat oil in a frypan on medium to high heat for about 2 minutes until evenly heated
2. Add scallion to oil and stir until coated through then set aside
For the dumpling dough:
1. Mix tapioca starch, water, oil and salt and knead in bowl until dough comes away from the bowl and no longer sticks to sides of the bowl
2. Divide the batter into 8 equal parts and place 7 in a bag or lidded container to stop the dough from drying out
3. Roll dough into a log shape with a diameter of 2 cm

Caramelised sugar

4. Cut log into even 2cm x 2cm logs and place into bag or lidded container to stop dough from drying
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all dough is cut
6. Taking a small log, roll out until you have a circle with a diameter of approximately 5cm and thickness of 3mm
7. Add about a tsp. of pork and shrimp filling to centre of the circle
8.  Fold edges together and firmly press to create a semi circle shape then set aside in bag or lidded container until needed
9. Repeat steps 6 - 8 until all dough is used up
         Note:  If you have any left over filling, it'll go perfectly with a bed of rice
                    Dumplings can be frozen until needed so if you know you will be short on time but have a party coming up, this is the perfect recipe. No need to thaw them before you cook them. All other components (fish sauce and scallion oil can also be frozen until needed)

Dumpling log

Fill them up 

Dumpling thickness

Assemble time:
1. When you're ready to cook dumplings, fill a bowl with cold water ready for cooked dumplings to bathe in before garnishing (This will stop the dough from hardening)
2. Fill a pot with water and leave on high heat until water boils
3. Reduce heat to low and add desired raw dumplings
4. Cook dumplings for about 5 minutes in which dumplings will start to float to the top of pot or until dumplings become transparent and soft
5. Scoop cooked dumplings using a strainer and place into cold water for 30 seconds
6. Place dumplings into a bowl and add a few Tbs. of scallion oil and toss until well coated

Ready to be bathed!

In the bath

7. Add desired fish sauce and add some chilli slices and/or fried onions to garnish and consume!

           This recipe may seem a tad overwhelming with the number of components and steps but I can assure you, it's all worth the effort. They're delicious and can definitely please a crowd. It'll also make you think twice about wanting to buy these in the shop because you can make a whole bunch of dumplings for a fraction of the price!
   
                I hope you all enjoyed this recipe and had a lovely Mother's day with your Mum / family! Leave a comment below if you give this one a go or if you have any other questions.

Nibble Away,
              Jo