Bánh Pía (Vietnamese Sweet Mung Bean Cake)

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ¼ cup ice water
• 1 cup dried yellow mung beans
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ¼ cup sesame seeds
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for brushing
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds for topping

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse 1 cup of dried yellow mung beans in a fine-mesh strainer under cool running water until the water runs clear. Place the beans in a small saucepan and cover with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium and simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are completely tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. You should be able to easily mash a bean between your fingers.

2. 2

   Drain any remaining liquid from the beans in a fine-mesh strainer. Transfer the hot beans to a large bowl and mash them with a wooden spoon or potato masher until you have a smooth paste with no visible bean chunks. Add 0.5 cup of sugar and 0.125 teaspoon of salt, stirring until combined.

3. 3

   Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour in the mung bean mixture and stir constantly for 5-7 minutes. The mixture should become drier and start to pull away slightly from the sides of the skillet — this concentrates the flavors and removes excess moisture so the pastry stays crispy. Add 0.25 cup of sesame seeds and stir for 1 minute until fragrant. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely, about 10 minutes.

4. 4

   In a medium bowl, whisk together 1.5 cups of all-purpose flour, 0.25 cup of sugar, and 0.25 teaspoon of salt. Create a well in the center and pour in 0.5 cup of vegetable oil. Using a wooden spoon or your fingertips, mix until the dough comes together — it will be oily and slightly crumbly at first, but should hold together when pressed.

5. 5

   Drizzle in 0.25 cup of ice water a little at a time, mixing gently with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together. Stop adding water once the dough forms a soft, slightly sticky ball — overworking it will make the pastry tough instead of flaky. Divide the dough in half, shape each portion into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

6. 6

   Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured work surface, roll one disk of dough between two sheets of parchment paper into a thin rectangle about 1/8 inch thick — the dough should be almost translucent. Carefully peel off the top sheet of parchment.

7. 7

   Divide the cooled mung bean filling into 8 equal portions by eye. Arrange them in two rows of 4 on one half of the dough rectangle, leaving 0.5 inch of space between portions and 1 inch from the edges. Working with one portion at a time, fold the opposite half of dough over each filling mound, then use a small square pastry cutter (about 3 inches) to cut out individual pastries. Press the edges firmly with the tines of a fork to seal and create a decorative pattern.

8. 8

   Transfer the sealed pastries to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Brush the top of each pastry lightly with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil using a pastry brush, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds. Bake for 15-18 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the pastries turn deep golden brown and smell nutty. The edges should be crispy and the pastry should sound hollow when you tap it.

9. 9

   Remove from the oven and let the pastries cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes — they will crisp up as they cool. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve at room temperature. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Tools you’ll need

• fine-mesh strainer
• small saucepan
• large bowl
• wooden spoon
• potato masher
• 10-inch nonstick skillet
• medium bowl
• whisk
• plastic wrap
• rolling pin
• parchment paper
• pastry cutter (3-inch square)
• fork
• two baking sheets
• pastry brush
• wire rack

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