Banh Cuon

Delicate steamed rice rolls filled with seasoned pork and wood ear mushrooms, topped with crispy fried shallots.

Banh cuon — steamed rice rolls — is one of the most technically demanding dishes in Vietnamese cuisine. The rice batter must be spread on cloth stretched over boiling water — the steam cooks the rice sheet in under two minutes and it must be rolled while still hot before it tears. In Hanoi's Old Quarter, banh cuon shops open at 5am and the rhythmic sound of the rolling technique is the morning soundtrack of the neighbourhood. The fried shallots on top create one of the great textural contrasts in Asian cuisine — caramelised crunch against silky rice rolls. Banh cuon is a breakfast dish in Hanoi and eating it at any other time is considered slightly eccentric.

The rice batter must be very thin — almost translucent when steamed. Roll immediately while still hot or the sheet will tear. Serve with the accompanying sweet fish sauce dipping broth.