Banh Bot Loc is a type of Vietnamese steamed dumpling, filled with shrimp and pork. The dumpling dough is made from tapioca and water, giving the dumpling a translucent appearance.
Tapioca is extracted from the cassava root and has a natural clear – white color. The soft and chewy texture of the dumplings is also due to the tapioca.
There are different types of Banh Bot Loc. Banh Bot Loc Goi La Chuoi is made using a thin batter which is placed in banana leaves, filled with the pork and shrimp then folded before cooking.
Banh Lot Loc Tran is made using a dough. The dough is firm enough to be handled so the banana leaves aren’t needed to keep it from falling apart during filling and cooking, however its appearance is less translucent since the dumpling dough isnt as thin as the batter version.
Origin and Significance
Banh Bot Loc is said to have originated from Hue, the imperial city where the dumplings were served to emperors in their traditional banana wrappers. Today, Bahn Bot Loc can be found in the frozen aisle in many Asian markets. It has become a popular snack that anyone can easily make.
Vietnamese Banh Bot Loc Recipe
Ingredients
Filling
- Shrimp, cleaned and deveined – ¼ lb
- Fish sauce – 2 tbsp
- Black pepper – 1 tbsp
- Sugar – ½ tbsp
- Shallots, minced – 1 tbsp
- Pork belly, cut into small 1/4 inch strips - ¼ lb
- Cooking oil – 2 tbsp
- Annato seeds – 1 tsp
Fried Onion/Onion Oil
- Onions, Chopped - 1/4 cup
- Olive Oil - 8 tbsp
Dumpling Dough
- Tapioca starch – 400g
- Salt – 1 tsp
- Water, boiling – 1 cup
Instructions
Filling
1. Marinate the shrimp with fish sauce, shallots, sugar and pepper for about 30 minutes.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, when hot, add the annato seeds. Once the seeds turn red, strain then out.
3. Fry the small pieces of pork belly in annatto seed oil until cooked. It will be a nice red color. Drain off excess oil from the pork belly.
Onion oil
1. Fry onions in oil until golden brown and drain.
2. Save onion infused oil and set aside.
Dumpling Dough
1. Place half of the tapioca starch in bowl with the salt and add the boiling water.
2. Mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon, it will cool slightly.
3. When it is comfortable to touch, add the rest of the tapioca and knead the dough with your hands.
4. The dough is ready when it is soft and no longer sticky.
5. Wrap the ball of dough in a piece of plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.
6. When you are ready to fill, take a small piece of dough and shape it into a ball.
7. Using the thumbs, press the ball while rotating in a circular motion forming a disc about 2 ½ inches wide.
8. Place a small amount of filling into the center of the disc and fold the dough over so the two sides touch, forming a half circle. Pinch shut.
9. Heat up salted water in a large pot. When the water is boiling, add the dumplings and cook for 10 – 12 minutes, at this point the dumplings will float to the top.
10. Drain the dumplings, then toss in the onion oil to keep the dumplings from sticking to each other.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 797Total Fat: 41gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 33gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 1588mgCarbohydrates: 94gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 14g