3000 miles 'til dinner.

Banh Chung (round log or cylinder shape) or Banh Tet  (square shape) are sticky rice cakes, made especially for feasting during the Lunar New Year in Viet Nam.  Banh (meaning “cake”) is sticky rice with sweet or savory fillings, such as pork, chicken,red bean paste, banana or combination thereof, all wrapped in a banana leaf. 

I have taken artistic license in making these cakes so that even with a busy schedule, you will want have the time to prepare these delicious treats.   #1 - the ingredients can be prepared in advance, with the final steaming just before you are ready to eat them. #2 -  the traditional method includes all raw/uncooked ingredients in the banana leaf packet, then boiling the cakes for 4 1/2 hour). This recipe calls for cooking the rice and beans before filling the banana leaves. #3 -  the traditional cakes are considerably larger, meant for slicing when serving. Here the cakes are smaller, meant for individual servings. 

Although this recipe makes 19 cakes, make all, because you will eat one or two right away, then crave them for the next few days…. you’ll be glad you have extra!

Prep time:  *soak beans for 5-6 hours (optional)

                   *thaw banana leaves - 1 hour at room temp. or overnight in fridge

                   *cook soaked beans: 50 minutes  (unsoaked beans: 1.5 hours)

                   *steam rice: 20 minutes

                   *assemble & wrap cakes in banana leaves - 30 minutes 

                   *steam cakes - 25 minutes 

Servings: approx. 19 cakes (or) 9 servings with 2 per person

♥PANTRY, FRIDGE, MARKET♥♥  

2 1/4 C. dried azuki red beans 

2/3 C. granulated sugar

2/3 C.  vegetable oil 

3 C. sweet Jasmine rice + 1 t. sea salt + 4 1/2 C. water

19 petit bananas  (or 19 - 2” banana chunks cut from regular size bananas)

Salt & pepper 

Plastic wrap

Banana leaves,  cut into 9’ square (approx) sheets

*banana leaves (purchased frozen),  azuki beans, sweet Jasmine rice & petit bananas  can be purchased in Asian or most international markets 

♥Prep

• RINSE BEANS & SOAK, covering with cold water. Water should be at least at least 2” deeper than the beans because they will expand as they soften (soaking reduces the cooking time, but you can skip this step and cook the beans longer)
• BOIL BEANS (approx 50 minutes)  Drain the beans and cover with fresh water In a medium saucepan (3” deeper than the beans. ) Bring to a boil and simmer over low/medium heat until tender. Drain and set aside. 
• STEAM RICE - rice cooker or on stove top - 20 minutes. Set aside. 
• PUREE BEANS - food processor. Puree beans in the food processor, using metal blade (or by hand with a potato masher). 
• FRY BEANS - Heat oil in a large heavy bottom skillet, add beans and sugar. Stir and cook until beans thicken as moisture dissipates (should look like thick refried beans). Taste and add sea salt. Set aside.  
• CUT BANANA LEAVES - fold out strips of thawed banana leaves and cut into approx. 19 - 9” squares, no need to be exact on the size. Banana leaves are uneven in width, so not always possible to cut an even square.  If leaves split, you can still use them.  Stack leaves together.
• SOFTEN BANANA LEAVES.  Fill large pot with water and bring to a boil. With tongs, tuck the stack of banana leaves into the boiling water, turn off burner, and leave in water for 5 minutes or so. When you are ready to wrap, remove leaves from water and put on sheet pan covered with a dish towel. Fold towel back over the top to keep sheets warm and soft.        

 ♥Assemble

• On your work space, lay out 4-5  softened banana leaves, opaque side up. Place 1/2 C. rice in the middle of each and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand (wet your palm with water to keep from sticking to the rice) Top with banana, then 1/4 C.  - 1/2 C. bean paste. Spoon on a little more rice.  
• Fold each packet into a square, as if you were wrapping a gift,  (again, do not worry about the splits in the leaves) Set aside until all wraps are done, then wrap each tightly with plastic wrap. 
• ♥Steaming Wraps - Place in steamer for approx. 25 minutes. NOTE: In a pinch, or to warm left over (already steamed wraps), the microwave is another option.

• 
• ♥Serve - Remove plastic wrap, open and eat right off the banana leaf. These are delicious with sweet chili sauce or spicy chili sauce and great served with LARB GAI (spicy minced chicken salad), GREEN PAPAYA SALAD, COCONUT & GREEN CURRY CHICKEN SOUPor for a multicultural experience, EAST INDIAN-style KOFTA

♥♥ WAYS TO “just wing it” ♥♥               consider or substitute

*consider: filling wraps with rice plus other ingredients you might think of, such as RAW fish, pork or chicken (adjust steaming time) or vegetables such as asparagus…get creative! 

*you may also decide to prepare all 19 cakes (always using rice), by adding different fillings to each packet — a few with banana and bean,  some with chicken or pork (left over pork or chicken from making Banh Mi in your fridge?)

♥ Helpful Hints♥

*if you don’t have a bamboo or stainless “steamer” (as shown in the photo), fashion one with a cooling rack or use your little expandable veg steamer

*amount of filling for each wrap can be adjusted — use less or more

*rice and beans can be prepared a day in advance; preparing rice in advance: scoop cooked rice into 1/2 C. servings, place on plastic lined sheet pan and cover tightly with foil

*wraps made with bananas are best eaten with 24 hours; consider meat or veggie fillings for cakes you plan to eat within 3-4 days 

*banana leaves - thaw the package before using and re-freeze the leaves you don’t use 

• (MIL post)