Ingredients
- 1 cup Rice flour
- 1.25 cups Water
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ pound Shrimp (medium)
- ¼ pound Ground chicken breast
- 3 tablespoons Fish sauce
- ¼ cup Shallots (fried)
- 3 stalks Scallions
- 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Oil (neutral)
Instructions
- Combine rice flour and salt in a large mixing bowl, stirring to distribute salt evenly throughout.
- Gradually pour room temperature water into the flour mixture, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
- Continue whisking until the batter reaches a thin, pourable consistency similar to crepes or pancake batter.
- Let the batter rest at room temperature for 5 minutes to allow any remaining air bubbles to escape.
- Chop the shrimp into small pieces, roughly ¼-inch size for even cooking throughout the banh beo recipe.
- Combine chopped shrimp, ground chicken, minced garlic, fish sauce, sugar, and black pepper in a separate bowl.
- Mix the topping ingredients gently until just combined, being careful not to overwork the shrimp and chicken.
- Taste the mixture and adjust fish sauce or salt as needed for your personal preference in this banh beo recipe.
- Oil small ceramic or silicone cups (about 2 ounces each) generously to prevent sticking.
- Fill each cup halfway with the rice flour batter, pouring carefully to create an even layer.
- Place filled cups into your steamer basket or bamboo steamer, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
- Steam the cakes over boiling water for 8-10 minutes until the batter becomes opaque and sets but remains tender in texture.
- Carefully remove the steamer basket from heat using kitchen towels or oven mitts to protect your hands.
- Spoon a generous portion of the shrimp and chicken topping onto the center of each steamed cake in your banh beo recipe.
- Return the topped cakes to the steamer for 3-5 additional minutes until the toppings are heated through completely.
- Remove from steamer and immediately sprinkle with crispy fried shallots and chopped scallions while the cakes are still hot.
- Allow banh beo recipe cakes to cool for 2-3 minutes before serving to avoid burns from steam.
- Transfer cakes to a serving platter while still warm to maintain the best texture and flavor of this banh beo recipe.
- Serve with lime wedges, fresh herbs, and additional fish sauce or dipping sauce on the side.
Notes
Mix the batter slowly and steadily to avoid introducing excess air that creates holes. Ensure your steamer water is at a rolling boil before adding the batter-filled cups for consistent cooking. Do not overfill the batter cups, as the rice flour expands slightly. Cooked cakes can be kept warm in a warm oven until all batches are ready to serve together.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Steaming
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
- Diet: Halal
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cake
- Calories: 145 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
