Bánh Giò (Vietnamese Steamed Pork Dumplings)
Steamed tapioca flour dumplings filled with seasoned ground pork, wood ear mushrooms, and shallots. A beloved Vietnamese street food that's crispy outside, tender inside, and utterly craveable.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 11g
Ingredients
- 8 oz ground pork
- ½ oz dried wood ear mushrooms
- 2 medium shallots
- 1.5 tablespoon fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 cup tapioca starch
- ¾ cup boiling water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 whole fresh Thai chilies or jalapeños
- 1 whole fresh lime
- 3 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ cup warm water
Instructions
- 1
Soak 0.5 oz dried wood ear mushrooms in 1/2 cup warm water for 10 minutes until soft. Drain well, then finely chop them into pieces about 1/8 inch — you should have roughly 1/4 cup. Set aside.
- 2
Peel and finely mince 2 medium shallots — aim for pieces no larger than 1/16 inch so they distribute evenly through the filling.
- 3
In a medium bowl, combine 8 oz ground pork, the chopped mushrooms, minced shallots, 1.5 tablespoons fish sauce, 0.5 teaspoon sugar, 0.25 teaspoon black pepper, and 0.5 teaspoon sesame oil. Mix gently with your fingers until just combined — do not overmix, or the filling will become dense. Set aside.
- 4
In a medium heatproof bowl, combine 1 cup tapioca starch and 0.5 teaspoon salt. Pour in 0.75 cup boiling water and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. The dough will be very hot — carefully let it cool for 2–3 minutes until you can handle it.
- 5
Drizzle 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over the dough and knead it with your hands for 2 minutes until smooth and slightly elastic — the oil should be fully incorporated. The dough should feel like smooth playdough, not sticky. If it feels too dry, add 1 teaspoon warm water at a time.
- 6
Fill a 12-quart pot with 2 inches of water and place a bamboo steamer rack or silicone steamer mat inside — the water should be just below the rack. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- 7
Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. On a lightly oiled work surface, flatten one piece into a thin 4-inch disc, then place 1 tablespoon of the pork filling in the center. Fold the dough up and over the filling to form a half-moon or triangle, pinching and sealing the edges firmly so no filling escapes during cooking.
- 8
Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Lightly oil a piece of parchment paper and arrange the shaped dumplings on it in a single layer.
- 9
Carefully transfer the parchment with the dumplings to the steamer rack. Cover with the bamboo steamer lid (or a tight-fitting pot lid). Steam over boiling water for 15–18 minutes, until the dough is translucent and set — it should no longer stick when you touch it gently.
- 10
While the dumplings steam, make the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 0.25 cup warm water. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
- 11
Slice 2 fresh Thai chilies or jalapeños into thin rounds (include seeds for more heat, discard them for milder sauce) and add to the dipping sauce. Squeeze in the juice of 1 fresh lime and stir.
- 12
Transfer the steamed bánh giò to a serving plate. Serve while still warm with the fish sauce–chili dipping sauce on the side. Tear or bite into each dumpling to expose the filling, dip into the sauce, and eat immediately.
Tools you’ll need
- medium heatproof bowl
- wooden spoon
- 12-quart pot
- bamboo steamer rack or silicone steamer mat
- bamboo steamer lid or pot lid
- parchment paper
- small bowl
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- wooden mixing spoon
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