Banh duc man from the South comes down to the batter. It has to be soft without being watery, with a smooth surface and the pork and shrimp topping spread evenly over it. Pouring it all in at once leaves the middle undercooked, which is where this dish usually goes wrong.
The reliable method is to divide the batter into three and steam each layer for 7 minutes before pouring the next. Soak the dried shrimp a few hours ahead in fish sauce, kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and hot water so they plump up and soften. Serve with a bowl of mixed fish sauce.
This batch weighs about 2.8kg, at roughly 162 calories per 100g.
Method
Put 250g dried shrimp in a bowl with 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and 120ml hot water, stir, cover and leave for a few hours until plump and soft.
Peel 250g jicama and 1 carrot, wash them and cut them into small dice. Peel and finely chop 4 shallots. Roast 100g peanuts until golden and crush them roughly.
Whisk 380g rice flour with 2 tablespoons tapioca starch, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 400ml coconut milk and 600ml warm water until completely smooth. Rest the batter for about 30 minutes.
Fry the shallots in 1 tablespoon cooking oil until fragrant, then add 400g ground pork, the dried shrimp, jicama, carrot, 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir fry for about 5 minutes. Stir in the roasted peanuts and take the pan off the heat.
Set the mold in the steamer, add water to a depth of about 5cm and bring it to a boil. Stir the batter well and divide it into three. Pour in one part and steam for 7 minutes.
Pour the second part over the top and steam for another 7 minutes. Add the last of the batter and steam for 5 minutes.
Spread the topping evenly over the surface, cover and steam for another 15 minutes until set.
Lift out the cake, let it cool a little, then cut it into pieces. Mix the remaining 3 tablespoons fish sauce with 4 tablespoons kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and a little water, and spoon it over the cake to serve.
Tips
Soak the dried shrimp for a few hours in fish sauce, kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and hot water, and they swell soft and full of flavor rather than tough.
Pour the batter in three layers and steam each one, so the cake cooks evenly and is not wet in the middle.
Mix the coconut milk into the batter while it is still warm to the touch, since cold mixing splits the batter in the mold.
Rest the batter for a full 30 minutes for a smooth surface once steamed.
Wrap a cloth around the steamer lid, as condensation dripping down pits the surface.
Need kOBE Monk Fruit Blend?
The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.