How to boil Banh Chung with a pressure cooker: Simple and super fast preparation for Tet

How to Cook Steamed Banh Chung with a Pressure Cooker

• 1

  Prepare and Marinate the Meat

  The pork belly you buy should be washed clean with water and drained. Then, soak the meat in 2 tablespoons of cooking vinegar for about 5 – 10 minutes, then discard the vinegar water.

  Next, marinate the meat with 2 tablespoons of finely chopped shallots, 2 teaspoons of salt, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, and 1 tablespoon of white wine for about 60 minutes to let the spices soak into the meat.

  Tip: Marinating white wine with the meat will help the meat become softer and more fragrant.

  

  
• 2

  Prepare the Sticky Rice and Mung Beans

  The sticky rice you buy should be washed several times until the water is clear. Next, soak the sticky rice in clean water for about 4 – 6 hours. Do the same for the mung beans.

  After soaking, remove the sticky rice and mung beans, rinse them under running water, and drain.

  

  

  
• 3

  Prepare banana leaves

  After purchasing, wash the banana leaves thoroughly with water and wipe them clean with a cloth. Cut the banana leaves according to the dimensions of the square mold for wrapping bánh chưng.

  Tip:

  • You can replace banana leaves with dong leaves!
  • When cutting the banana leaves, you should cut them about 1cm shorter than the length of the mold’s sides so that the banana leaves fit well into the mold.

  

  
• 4

  Make pandan leaf juice

  First, chop the pandan leaves and put them into a blender, then add 500ml of filtered water.

  Cover the lid and blend the pandan leaves at medium speed for about 1 – 2 minutes until the leaves are finely blended.

  Next, strain the blended pandan leaf juice through a sieve to collect the juice and discard the residue.

  

  

  
• 5

  Cook the meat

  Turn on the pressure cooker to medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to the pot. When the oil is hot, add the remaining minced shallots to sauté until fragrant.

  Next, add the marinated pork belly and stir-fry evenly on all sides for about 3 minutes, then add 400ml of water, switch to the Meat/Stew mode, set the timer to 6 minutes, and start cooking the meat.

  After cooking the meat, let the pot sit for about 20 minutes before removing the meat and allowing it to cool, keeping the meat broth in the pot. Once the meat has cooled, use a knife to cut it into small bite-sized pieces.

  

  

  

  
• 6

  Cook mung beans

  Add the prepared mung beans to the pressure cooker containing the meat broth, set to Bean/Chili mode, and cook the beans for about 2 minutes.

  After cooking, transfer the beans to a tray, spread them evenly, and divide the beans into 12 equal portions before wrapping the cake.

  Tip: To prevent the beans from sticking to the tray, you should coat the tray with a layer of cooking oil before adding the beans!

  

  
• 7

  Sautéing sticky rice

  Place a pan on the stove, add 600ml coconut milk, all the pandan leaf extract made, and 1.5 teaspoons of salt into the pan and bring to a boil over low heat.

  When the pandan leaf water mixture is simmering, add the sticky rice, stir well, and sauté until the water evaporates, soaking evenly into the rice, and the rice grains turn green and become sticky and fragrant.

  Tip:

  • Sautéing the sticky rice first will help the sticky rice cake be more pliable and cook faster.
  • During the sautéing process, if the water evaporates but the sticky rice is not yet soft, you can add more filtered water and continue sautéing!

  When the sticky rice is soft and sticky, divide it into 12 equal portions.

  

  

  

  
• 8

  Make the filling

  Take a portion of mung beans that have been previously divided onto plastic wrap, then use your hands to press the beans flat and form a square shape with each side measuring about 13 cm (for a 15cmx15cm mold).

  Then, place the chopped meat close to two edges and put two salted eggs in the middle. Next, press down another portion of mung beans as above to cover the filling.

  Finally, wrap the filling in plastic wrap and adjust it so that the entire filling is square, with the mung beans fully covering the meat and salted eggs.

  Repeat this process until all ingredients are used up.

  Tip: Making the filling first will make it easier for you to wrap the cake.

  

  

  

  
• 9

  Wrap the cake

  Place a layer of aluminum foil under the bánh chưng mold, put two banana leaves into the mold, then add the cooked sticky rice and spread it evenly across the leaves, after which place the previously made filling on top.

  Next, add another layer of sticky rice, spreading it evenly and pressing tightly to cover the entire filling, then wrap the leaves back, remove the mold, and use aluminum foil underneath to wrap the cake, securing it with string to finish.

  

  

  

  
• 10

  Steaming the cake

  Add 480ml of water to the pressure cooker, then place the wrapped Chung cake inside, standing the cake upright, turn on the Steam mode and set the steaming time to about 50 minutes.

  After steaming, let the cake sit in the pot for an additional 30 minutes, then take the cake out, remove the foil and outer layer, cut the Chung cake into bite-sized pieces and serve on a plate to finish.

  Tip: Due to the limited size of the pot, you can divide the cakes and steam them in multiple batches to ensure they are evenly cooked and not undercooked.

  

  

  
• 11

  Final Product

  The boiled bánh chưng made with a pressure cooker has sticky, fragrant glutinous rice that is no less than the traditional boiled bánh chưng, with a creamy mung bean filling and well-seasoned pork belly combined with the unique salty flavor of salted egg, which will surely make your family love it!