Recette de cuisineHomemade recipes · Hainaut
Favorites
Vietnamese sticky rice cake

Bánh chưng, Vietnamese square rice cake

Main dishes

Bánh chưng is a traditional Vietnamese New Year cake made with sticky rice, mung bean paste, and marinated pork, all wrapped in banana leaves and steamed …

Enlarge photo

Recipe from ChemPro, Kittycataclysm, adapted by Recette de cuisine · · updated on

↓ Jump to recipe

Bánh chưng is the traditional cake eaten during Tết, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. It consists of sticky rice, mung bean paste, and marinated pork, all wrapped in leaves and then boiled for a long time. It is prepared the day before the holiday and can be kept for several days.

Ingredients and directions

  • Prep time1 hr
  • Cook time7 hr
  • Resting8 hr
  • Total16 hr
  • DifficultyHard
  • CostBudget
  • Cooking methodboiled
  • Estimated cost$11.31 $1.13 / serving Estimated price; varies by store. Converted from euros at the ECB rate of October 15, 2026.

Ingredients

10 people
  • $3.20
  • $6.10
  • $0.10
  • $0.27
  • $0.30
  • $0.06
  • $0.49
  • $0.78
  • $0.01

Prices from US supermarkets for 7 of 9 ingredients; Belgian prices for the rest.

Directions

  1. Soak the mung beans and sticky rice separately for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight; drain the rice and season it with salt.
  2. Cover the beans with water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until they are easily mashed.
  3. Mash them, then season with 1 teaspoon of salt, bouillon powder, French fried shallots, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and oil.
  4. Cut the pork into large cubes and season it with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons of pepper, chopped shallots, and fish sauce; let it marinate for a few hours.
  5. Spread about 200g of mashed beans on cling film, add some pieces of pork, and shape into a round or square filling. ≈ 10 min
  6. Tear the banana leaves into large pieces, about 45 to 50 cm in length. ≈ 3 min
  7. Place two overlapping sheets of dough, put about 200g of rice in the center, with the filling on top, and then another 200g of rice. ≈ 3 min
  8. Fold the leaves and pack them securely, like a gift package. ≈ 3 min
  9. Wrap again: place the darker side of the leaves against the rice for the first layer, and the lighter side outwards for the second layer. ≈ 3 min
  10. Firmly secure each cake. ≈ 3 min
  11. Place the cakes in a large stockpot, cover with water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 6 to 8 hours, or until they are tender and the rice is cooked through.
  12. Remove the string, unpack, and cut into slices using a knife or dental floss. ≈ 8 min
  13. Serve with marinated onions or other vegetables in a fish sauce; the slices can also be pan-fried.

The bill

Bánh chưng, Vietnamese square rice cake

  • 1.1 kg of sticky rice$3.20
  • 500 g of pork loin$6.10
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons of salt$0.10
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons of freshly ground black pepper$0.27
  • 3 tablespoons of French-style shallots$0.30
  • 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil$0.06
  • 3 shallots, finely chopped$0.49
  • 2 tablespoons of fish sauce$0.78
  • 1 teaspoon of powdered broth$0.01

Total$11.31

that's $1.13 per person

Estimated price; varies by store.

Equipment

Affiliate links

Before you start

Ingredients

  • 300 g of pre-cooked mung beans
  • 1.1 kg of sticky rice
  • 500 g of pork loin
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons of salt
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons of freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons of French-style shallots
  • 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
  • 3 shallots, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon of powdered broth
  • 1 kg of banana leaves, fresh or thawed
  • kitchen string

The screen stays on while cooking mode is open.
🎬 Have a video of this recipe? Suggest a YouTube link

Did you film this recipe, or do you know a video that shows it? Axelle watches it before adding it to the page.

Nothing is published before approval.

✏️ A mistake, an idea for this recipe? Suggest a correction

Reviews (0)

Rate this recipe Be the first to rate it!

Your rating