Bánh Bèo (Vietnamese Steamed Rice Cakes)
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 492kcal
Soft, slightly chewy Vietnamese steamed rice cakes are topped with savory dried shrimp, mung beans, scallion oil, and Vietnamese dipping sauce. Each cake is steamed in a small dish and served warm with the toppings spooned over the top.
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Equipment
- Steamer
- Small shallow bowls or saucers, about 3 inches wide
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Food Processor optional
- Idli stand, optional
Ingredients
Rice Cake Batter
- 2 cups rice flour
- 3 tablespoons tapioca flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Toppings
- ½ cup dried split mung beans, soaked overnight
- ½ cup dried shrimp, soaked for at least 2 hours
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Scallion Oil
- ½ cup green onions, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
Vietnamese Dipping Sauce
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons lime juice
- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bird's eye chilies, thinly sliced
Instructions
Prepare the Toppings
- Soak the ingredients. Soak the mung beans overnight and the dried shrimp for at least 2 hours.
- Cook the mung beans. Boil the mung beans until very soft, about 30 minutes. Drain if needed, mash until smooth, and season with salt.
- Prepare the shrimp. Drain the soaked shrimp well and finely chop or pulse in a food processor.
- Cook the shrimp. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the shrimp for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until dry and crumbly. Set aside.
Make the Batter
- Mix the batter. Whisk together the rice flour, tapioca flour, salt, water, and vegetable oil until smooth.
- Rest. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes.
Steam the Rice Cakes
- Prepare the steamer. Bring the water to a simmer and lightly oil the small bowls or saucers.
- Stir the batter. Mix it thoroughly again before pouring because the rice flour will settle as it sits.
- Fill the dishes. Pour about 1 tablespoon of batter into each bowl.
- Steam. Cover and steam for 6–8 minutes, or until the rice cakes are set, opaque, and slightly springy.
- Repeat. Steam the remaining batter in batches, stirring the batter again before each batch.
Make the Scallion Oil
- Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the green onions and salt and cook for 2–3 minutes, until softened and fragrant.
Make the Dipping Sauce
- Stir together the fish sauce, water, sugar, lime juice, garlic, and chili until the sugar dissolves.
Assemble
- Top each rice cake with mung beans, dried shrimp, and scallion oil.
- Serve warm with Vietnamese dipping sauce on the side.
Notes
- Use regular rice flour, not glutinous or sweet rice flour.
- Let the batter rest for 30 minutes before steaming.
- Stir the batter well before every batch because the flour settles.
- Lightly oil the dishes so the rice cakes release easily.
- Wrap the steamer lid with a clean kitchen towel if condensation is dripping onto the cakes.
- Different bowl sizes may need slightly different steaming times.
- The cakes are done when they are set, opaque, and slightly springy.
- Store the rice cakes and toppings separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 492kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 225mg | Sodium: 2437mg | Potassium: 99mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 119IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 2mg
