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Preparation
45 minutes
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Cooking
1 hour 45 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
A rice cooker is a very versatile tool in the kitchen because it not only cooks rice but can also assist in preparing many other dishes, with bánh chưng being one of them. Today, TasteVN will guide you on how to boil bánh chưng using a rice cooker simply and conveniently to prepare for the upcoming Tet holiday. Let’s get cooking!
Ingredients for boiling bánh chưng using a rice cooker For 2 pieces
Sticky rice 1.5 kg Pork 300 gr Mung beans 200 gr Spinach 5 stalks Sausage 100 gr Fried shallots 20 gr Garlic 2 cloves (minced) Fish sauce 1 teaspoon Common spices a little (salt/ sugar/ seasoning granules/ ground pepper)
How to choose fresh and delicious ingredients
How to choose fresh pork
- Fresh pork usually has a light pink or light red color, with firm and dry meat. The layer of pork fat will have a slightly creamy white color.
- Choose meat with good elasticity; when you gently press your finger on the piece of meat, you will see an indent appear, which quickly returns to its original state.
- Avoid buying pork that is slimy or has bruises, as this indicates that the pig was sick, which is very harmful to health.
How to choose good glutinous rice for making cakes
- It is advisable to choose glutinous rice grains that are large and uniform in size, opaque white, with a smooth exterior, and grains that are not broken.
- Good glutinous rice will have a natural, characteristic aroma, and when tasted, it will have a slight sweetness. Additionally, you can choose well-known glutinous rice brands to ensure quality.
- Avoid choosing glutinous rice grains that are dusty, have fuzz, or are yellow in color as these indicate low-quality rice, which will affect the flavor of the cake.
How to choose good beans for making cakes
- You should choose peeled mung beans that are bright yellow, feel firm when held, have the aroma of mung beans, and show no signs of insect damage.
- For peeled mung beans that are pre-packaged and sold in markets and supermarkets, don’t forget to select reputable brands with packaging that is still new and intact to avoid purchasing low-quality products.
- Avoid buying mung beans that have a musty smell or a strong chemical odor as these may indicate that the beans have been excessively treated with pesticides.
How to choose fresh and delicious shiitake mushrooms
- Delicious shiitake mushrooms are those with a light brown cap, of moderate size, and tightly curved inward. It is preferable to choose shiitake mushrooms with short stems, as they will taste sweeter when eaten.
- Do not buy mushrooms that are bruised, have a foul odor, or show signs of mold.
- For safety, you should limit buying fresh shiitake mushrooms as it can be difficult to distinguish between toxic mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms when purchasing, so it is better to buy dried shiitake mushrooms from reputable supermarkets.
Tools needed
Rice cooker, bowl, spoon, knife, plate,…
How to steam Banh Chung with a rice cooker
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Prepare the sticky rice
Wash the sticky rice thoroughly with water several times until the water runs clear, then rinse the rice under running water and let it drain.
Tip: Washing the sticky rice multiple times will help preserve the Banh Chung for a longer time.
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Prepare green dye for the sticky rice
Put 5 stalks of spinach into a juicer to extract the green spinach juice, discarding the pulp. Next, add the extracted green juice to the washed sticky rice.
Then, pour 500ml of boiling water into the sticky rice and soak it for about 2 hours to allow the rice to expand.
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Prepare and marinate the pork
The pork you buy should be washed thoroughly with water several times and then drained. After that, use a knife to cut the meat into small pieces for wrapping the cake. Next, wash and chop the shiitake mushrooms, then place the prepared meat and mushrooms into a clean bowl.
Season with 1.5 teaspoons of ground pepper, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 20g of fried onion into the meat and mushrooms, mix well for the mixture to blend together, then marinate for about 30 minutes.
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Wrapping the cake
Stack 4 cleaned dong leaves together to form a mold. Next, add the prepared sticky rice and spread it evenly.
Then, add a layer of mung beans in the middle, spreading it evenly to form a small square shape in the center of the sticky rice, then place the marinated mushroom meat and sausage on top.
Next, cover with another layer of mung beans in the middle, adjusting to ensure the filling is tightly packed together, then add sticky rice on top, spreading it evenly.
Finally, fold the dong leaves back and tie them with string to secure the cake.
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Steaming the cake
Place the wrapped sticky rice cake into the rice cooker, pour enough water to cover the surface of the cake, then close the lid and switch to the cooking mode.
When the cooking button switches to the warming mode, press the button back to the initial cooking mode, repeating this process 3 times for the cake to be cooked.
Tip: You should monitor the water level to avoid it running out, which can burn the sticky rice cake.
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Final Product
Remove the dong leaves, cut the Chung cake into bite-sized pieces and place it on a plate to present the Chung cake cooked with a rice cooker.
The Chung cake is chewy and fragrant, with soft sticky rice, sweet and buttery mung beans, and rich meat and sausage that stimulate the eater’s taste buds. Wishing you success in making Chung cake with this method!
The article above has guided you on how to steam chung cake with an electric rice cooker super simple, convenient, and easy for the familiar cake dish on Tet. TasteVN wishes you success in making delicious and attractive cakes for your family!
