Square Vietnamese Tapicoca Dumplings (banh Bot Loc)

Vietnamese Tapioca Dumplings (makes 70 dumplings)

Ingredients

For the filling:

8oz pork belly

8oz shrimp peeled and deveined 

Directions

Chop both into small bits, put in separate bowls and season each one with 1/4 tsp salt + 1/4 tsp sugar.

Ingredients for the dough:

3 cups tapioca starch

About 1.5 cups boiling water

Directions

With a stand mixer, add starch and 1/4 tsp salt in the mixing bowl. Turn on the lowest speed with flat paddle attached. Slowly pour in water + 1 tsp oil. Mix til everything becomes a smooth paste.

Alternatively, add starch and salt in a large bowl, make a well in the middle and pour in boiling water + oil. Mix well with a spatula.

Dough will be hot and slightly sticky at this point. Spread a large piece of plastic wrap on the counter, scrape dough off the bowl. Wrap it up and put aside.

Ingredients for stir frying:

1 tsp oil

2 garlic cloves minced

1 shallot minced

2 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp pepper

3/4 tsp annatto powder 

Directions

Heat pan over med heat, add oil, garlic and shallot, cook for 1 min. Add in pork, season with fish sauce, sugar, pepper and annatto powder. Cook for 3 mins. Add in shrimp and mix well. Cook for another 2 mins. Transfer the filling to a bowl and let cool.

Take out the dough and cut it in halves. Wrap up one half while working on the other. Sprinkle the counter and rolling pin with starch. Roll the dough out to a thin layer. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out the wrappers.

Make dumplings as per video intructions. Remember to wet the edges and seal them up tightly so they don't break while being boiled.

for scallion oil:

8 spring onions, green part only, chopped

1/3 cup oil

Add scallion to a heat proof bowl. Heat the oil til bubbly. Pour oil over scallions.

Bring 5 quart of water to a boil. Add in all the dumplings. Bring back to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook for 2 mins. Use a slotted spoon to transfer dumplings to a iced water bath. Drain off water, transfer to a bowl and mix well with scallion oil.

For dipping sauce:

1/2 cup + 2tbsp water

4 tbsp sugar

1/4 cup fish sauce

4 garlic minced

8 chilies chopped

Mix everything together. Enjoy!