Banh Cuon

Ingredients

• 0.5 ounces dried wood ear mushrooms
• 2 shallot – thinly sliced
• 0.75 cups neutral oil
• 3 shallot – finely chopped
• 0.75 pounds ground pork
• 1 tablespoons fish sauce – for filling
• 0.5 teaspoons sugar – for filling
• 0.25 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 cups rice flour
• 0.5 cups tapioca starch
• 2.5 cups water – for batter
• 0.25 teaspoons salt
• 0.5 cups water – for dipping sauce
• 2.5 tablespoons granulated sugar – for dipping sauce
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce – for dipping sauce
• 2 tablespoons lime juice – freshly squeezed (for dipping sauce)
• 1 cloves garlic – minced (for dipping sauce)
• 1 Thai bird’s eye chili – thinly sliced (for dipping sauce)
• Vietnamese pork sausage (cha lua) – sliced (for serving)
• cucumber – thinly sliced (for serving)
• bean sprouts – blanched 30 seconds (for serving)
• cilantro leaves – for serving
• mint leaves – for serving

Instructions

1. Soak the dried wood ear mushrooms in hot water until fully softened, 20–25 minutes. Drain, squeeze out excess water, and finely chop; set aside.
2. Line a plate with paper towels. Heat 0.5 cup of the neutral oil in a small saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced shallots and fry, stirring often, until light golden, 8–10 minutes (they will darken slightly as they cool). Strain, reserving the shallot oil. Spread the fried shallots out to crisp.
3. For the filling, heat 1 tablespoon reserved shallot oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped shallots and cook until translucent, 2–3 minutes. Add the ground pork and cook, breaking it up, until just cooked through, 4–5 minutes. Stir in the chopped wood ear mushrooms, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 0.5 teaspoon sugar, and 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the pan is mostly dry and fragrant, 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat to cool.
4. For the batter, whisk together the rice flour, tapioca starch, 2.5 cups water, and salt until smooth with no lumps. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the reserved shallot oil. Let the batter rest 30 minutes; whisk again before using. The batter should be very thin (like light cream); add a splash of water if needed.
5. Make the dipping sauce (nuoc cham): In a bowl, stir 0.5 cup water with 2.5 tablespoons granulated sugar until dissolved. Add 3 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoons lime juice, the minced garlic, and sliced chili. Taste and balance to a light, sweet-sour-salty profile; set aside.
6. Set up to cook the rice sheets: Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat (with a tight-fitting lid nearby). Lightly brush the pan with reserved shallot oil. Lightly oil a tray or plate to receive the cooked sheets.
7. Cook and assemble the first roll: Stir the batter. Pour in about 0.25 cup, tilting and swirling to coat the pan in a very thin, even layer. Cover and steam until the sheet turns opaque, looks set, and the edges release easily, 30–45 seconds. Uncover and gently slide the sheet onto the oiled tray.
8. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the pork-mushroom filling in a line along one edge of the sheet. Use a spatula to lift and roll into a neat cylinder, or fold the sides in and roll like a small envelope. Transfer to a serving plate.
9. Repeat cooking and rolling with the remaining batter and filling, brushing the pan lightly with reserved shallot oil as needed and stirring the batter occasionally so starch doesn’t settle. Work in a steady rhythm; if sheets tear, reduce heat slightly or add a teaspoon of water to the batter.
10. To serve, top the warm rolls with the fried shallots from Step 2. Add slices of Vietnamese pork sausage (cha lua), cucumber, and a handful of bean sprouts, cilantro leaves, and mint leaves on the side. Serve immediately with individual bowls of nuoc cham for dipping.