Description
The quintessential Vietnamese Lunar New Year food. This bánh tét recipe makes four 7×3-inch cylindrical cakes with each cake yielding about 5 servings.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Pork Belly
- 1 1/2 lbs pork belly (skin-on preferred; slice into 4 strips)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely minced whites of scallions or shallots
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder (optional but recommended)
Sweet Rice
- 5 cups sweet rice
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
Mung Beans
- 2 cups dried split mung beans
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
Banana Leaves
- 1 package (16 oz) banana leaves
Instructions
- Prepare pork belly: To remove surface impurities that may be causing unwanted odor, generously rub the pork belly with coarse salt (about 1 tablespoon). Rinse thoroughly under running water to remove the salt and pat pork belly dry with paper towels. Season pork belly with salt, sugar, fish sauce, ground black pepper, whites of scallions/shallots, and chicken bouillon powder.
- Prepare rice and mung beans: Rinse the dried glutinous rice grains in a colander until water runs clear. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add water to cover by 2 inches. Cover the bowl and let it soak overnight on the counter. Repeat the same process for the dried mung beans. When done soaking, drain both into separate bowls and season with respective amount of salt.
- Prepare banana leaves: Thaw the banana leaves if frozen. Cut out 12 11×11-inch sheets. We will be using 3 sheets of banana leaves per Bánh Tét. If you have extras, keep them handy in case of tearing. Rinse sheets with hot water to clean. The hot water also makes them more pliable and less prone to tearing. Dry each sheet with paper towels.
- Assembling: Arrange the leaves by placing two banana leaves with veins running horizontally. Place another banana leaf with the shiny side up (if you can tell) with veins running vertically. Then add the filling: Start with some rice (1/2 cup), mung beans (1/4 cup), and pork belly. Then cover with more mung beans (1/4 cup) and more rice (1/2 cup). Hold up the leaves and gently wrap everything up into a log. Use temporary ties or rubber bands around the middle, if needed, to help hold the banana leaves together. Stand the log upright by bending the leaves at one end, then add more rice (about 2 tablespoons) to fill the end. Fold the banana leaves down neatly using four folds. Repeat the same process on the other end.
- Tying Banh Tet: Follow the video tutorial in the blog post for how to tie Bánh Tét. If tying feels tricky, you can use multiple strings and make simple knots instead. Just keep in mind that there should be two vertical ties and three evenly spaced horizontal ties across the middle, or more if you prefer.
- Stove Top (Cooking Option 1): Boil Bánh Tét on the stove-top in a large covered stock pot (8 quarts) on a medium-low simmer. Make sure they are always submerged in water to ensure even cooking. Use a large ceramic bowl or plate to weigh the cakes down if needed. Stove-top cooking will take about 7 hours. Check the water level occasionally and add water as needed.
- Pressure Cooker (Cooking Option 2): Add the cakes into the inner pot of the pressure cooker (8-quarts). Add water to the maximum fill line and pressure cook on high for 2 hours and 30 minutes. Once done, allow the pressure cooker to depressurize on its own (about 30 minutes).
- Remove from pot: Carefully remove Bánh Tét from the hot water and dry with paper towels. Allow them to cool to room temperature.
- Serve: Remove all the banana leaves and slice them into 2-inch coins. Enjoy at room temperature or pan-fry the slices in a bit of oil for a golden crunchy crust. Serve it with Vietnamese Fermented Dried Daikon in Fish Sauce (Dưa Món) for the ultimate taste of Vietnamese Lunar New Year. Bánh Tét will keep well in the fridge for up to one week or freeze for up to 8 months.
- Prep Time: 10 hours, 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours. 30 minutes
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese