Spinach Dumplings with Mung Bean and Shallot
In the winter months, when khúc, a green that looks like edible chrysanthemum leaves but tastes like spinach, is in season, cooks in northern Vietnam pound the leaves and use the juice to color the dough for these dumplings, which are filled with buttery mung bean and caramelized shallot. Sticky rice appears twice in the recipe, as the flour in the dough and as pearly grains covering the dumplings, making them look like snowballs. My mother remembers these jade green dumplings as the perfect antidote to the north’s cold, dreary winters. Well-positioned street vendors would lure customers with steamers full of piping-hot bánh khúc, which were piled on top of one another in the tray and had to be carefully pried apart before the exchange of money and food could occur. This is her recipe, which substitutes spinach for the khúc. For convenience, I use prewashed baby spinach leaves and purée them in a food processor. Measure the spinach carefully to ensure the dough won’t be too soft or mushy. Regular oil and ground pork stand in for the traditional filling enrichment of freshly rendered pork fat and hand-chopped pork belly. To yield nice round dumplings, I stray from tradition and steam them in a single layer, rather than piling them up.
Left over dumplings may be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for about 5 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Return them to room temperature before reheating in the steamer or microwave oven.
Recipe information
Yield
makes twelve 2 1/2-inch dumplings, to serve 6 as a light main course
Ingredients
Filling
Dough
Preparation
Step 1
Put the rice in a bowl and add water to cover by 1 inch. Let stand for at least 2 hours (or even overnight).
Step 2
To make the filling, in a saucepan, combine the oil and shallot over medium heat and fry gently, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Add the pork, stirring and pressing it to break it up into small pieces, and cook for about 1 minute, or until it is just cooked through. Remove from the heat and stir in the mung bean, salt, and pepper. If the filling feels stiff, add water by the teaspoon. You want a texture like that of dry mashed potatoes. To test, press some between your fingers; it should stick together and leave your fingers slightly oily. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to cool, then shape into 12 balls, each about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, or about the size of a golf ball.
Step 3
Dump the rice into a colander and rinse briefly under running water. Give the colander a few shakes to expel extra water. Return the rice to the bowl and toss with the 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
Step 4
To make the dough, combine the spinach and water in a food processor and purée until smooth. Transfer to a measuring cup and add water as needed to total 1 1/3 cups.
Step 5
In a bowl, stir together the 2 rice flours and the salt. Make a well in the center, pour in the spinach purée, and stir with a rubber spatula until a clumpy dough forms. Then, use your hand to knead the dough into a rough mass. Turn out the dough and all the unincorporated bits onto a work surface and knead with both hands into a soft , smooth ball that feels like very soft modeling clay. If necessary, add water by the teaspoon or a bit of rice flour (either kind is fine) to achieve the correct consistency, but err on the firmer, drier side because this dough soft ens as it sits. To test if the dough is ready, pinch it; it should barely stick to your fingers. Shape the dough into a log and cut it into 12 equal pieces, which will each be slightly larger than the balls of filling. Set aside for a moment.
Step 6
Fill the steamer pan halfway with water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Lower the heat until you are ready to steam. To prevent the dumplings from sticking to the steamer trays, line them with banana leaf, leaving a few holes uncovered for heat circulation.
Step 7
Have ready a shallow bowl of water for moistening your hands. To form a dumpling, lightly moisten your hands. Your hands must not be too wet, or this very soft dough will be difficult to manage, so wipe off excess water before you handle the dough. Pick up a piece of dough and roll it into a ball. Holding it with one hand, use the fingers of your other hand to press the dough gently from the center toward the rim to create a 3-inch circle slightly thinner at the center than at the rim. As you press, rotate the dough to make an even circle. (It is like shaping a tiny pizza.) Place the dough in the palm of one hand and use your other hand to place a ball of filling on the center of the circle. Now, use your free hand to push and pinch the dough together to enclose the filling completely. (If the dough is loose and fails to grip onto the filling, quickly remove the dough, knead it, and start over. This dough is very forgiving.) Pass the dumpling between your hands a few times to smooth the outside, and then roll it around in the grains of sticky rice to coat well. Place the dumpling in a prepared steamer tray. Use the heel of your hand to flatten it lightly to a thickness of 1 to 1 1/4 inches. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, arranging the dumplings about 1 inch apart in the trays and 1 inch away from the edge where condensation will collect.
Step 8
Distribute the left over sticky rice evenly on top of the dumplings. Return the water in the steamer pan to a rolling boil. Loosely cover 1 tray with parchment or waxed paper to prevent drying. Place the other tray in the steamer, cover, and steam the dumplings for 15 minutes, or until the dough is a dark green and the sticky rice is shiny and tender. Turn off the heat and wait for the steam to subside before lifting the lid, and then lift it away from you carefully to avoid condensation dripping onto the dumplings. Remove the tray and set it aside for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the dumplings cool a bit and firm up. They are too hot to eat straight from the steamer and will stay warm for about 30 minutes. Steam the second tray the same way.
Step 9
Have the table set with salad plates and chopsticks or forks. Use a metal spatula to transfer the dumplings to a platter or 2 serving plates and serve.
