Clear Shrimp & Pork Dumplings | Banh Bot Loc

A must have dish at all the family gatherings - reunions, house warmings, death anniversaries, dinner to end the year and welcome the new lunar year, and so on.

This is my first time time making banh bot loc almost all on my own (mom helped form the dumplings). I think this might be my first banh post too, I'm not big on making any kind of banh because it takes so much time to prep all the ingredients. Here, I'm making it bare and boiled - most people I know prefer it this way, so do I. There's also the ones wrapped in banana leaves and steamed - which are more aromatic when cooked because of the banana leaves.

The shrimp and pork filling:


Cut shrimp into small pieces, season with fish sauce, chili pepper flakes, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.


Cut the pork belly into small pieces, also season with fish sauce, chili pepper flakes, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.


Cut leeks into small pieces, fried in a little oil to release flavor. I love the smell of fried leek - smells so good! Remove the leek oil to a small bowl.


In the same pan, saute some shallots in a little bit of oil.


Add the pork. When the pork is cook, add the shrimp, leek oil, and sugar. The sugar will help it to caramelize.


When the shrimp is cooked and everything is nicely caramelized, add cut scallions and more black pepper. Set aside.
The dough, forming the dumplings, and cooking:


Forming the dough seems to be the toughest part. If it's too dry or too wet, it's hard to work with. For each bag of banh bot loc flour (tapioca starch) you use, you'll need 1 cup (give a little) of boiling hot water. Put some oil on your hands so it' won't get too sticky.


I attempted to use the Kitchen Aid mixer I bought for Phuong last year to make the dough, but....FAILED. It was sticky, I added more starch - it got dry, I kneaded some more water into it by hand - it was runny. I ended up making another dough, kneading it by hand. Mom shook her head when she found out I tried to make the dough in a mixer...


To press the rounds out faster, I put a ball of dough in between sheets of wax paper and press down with a glass cup.


Form the dumplings by spooning some of the filling onto the center of the round, fold in half, and seal by pinching the edge together.


In a large pot of, boil the dumplings until they float to the top.


While the dumplings are cooking, make a scallion oil: Heat up some oil and toss in cut scallions. Fry for a few seconds.


When cooked, drain and run the dumplings under cold water or dunk into cold water bath. Let drain. Toss in the scallion oil - which adds flavor and helps the dumplings from sticking to one another. Plate right away.


Serve with a sweet fish sauce (fish sauce, crushed garlic, sugar, water, cut chili peppers). I added fried shallots to mine because i like the texture and flavor.
Slightly overcooked the first batch...this one turned out better, but maybe I should have cooked it just a lil longer.
Yum.