Bánh cuốn is a traditional Vietnamese dish consisting of thin rice flour crepes filled with savory ingredients like minced pork and wood ear mushrooms. Here's a step-by-step guide to making this delicious dish at home:

Ingredients

For the batter:

• 1 cup rice flour
• 2 tbsp tapioca starch
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

For the filling:

• 200g ground pork
• 1/4 cup dried wood ear mushrooms (rehydrated and finely chopped)
• 1/4 cup shallots (minced)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp cooking oil

For the garnish:

• Fried shallots
• Fresh herbs (cilantro, mint, and Vietnamese perilla)
• Sliced cucumber
• Bean sprouts

For the dipping sauce (nước chấm):

• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 red chili (sliced)

Instructions

1. Prepare the batter

1. Mix the rice flour, tapioca starch, water, salt, and vegetable oil in a bowl. Stir until smooth and let it rest for 30 minutes.

2. Make the filling

1. Heat the cooking oil in a pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and shallots, and sauté until fragrant.
2. Add the ground pork and cook until browned. Stir in the chopped wood ear mushrooms.
3. Season with fish sauce, sugar, and black pepper. Cook until everything is well combined and set aside.

3. Make the crepes

1. Use a flat, nonstick pan or a steamer with a thin cloth stretched over it. If using a pan, lightly oil the surface and heat it over medium-low heat.
2. Pour a ladleful of batter (just enough to thinly coat the surface) into the pan, swirling quickly to form an even layer.
3. Cover with a lid and cook for 30–60 seconds until the crepe becomes translucent and lifts easily from the pan.

4. Assemble the Bánh cuốn

1. Carefully transfer the crepe to a clean surface or cutting board.
2. Place a small amount of filling in the center, then fold the crepe over the filling into a roll or envelope shape.
3. Repeat until all the batter and filling are used.

5. Prepare the dipping sauce

1. In a small bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Add fish sauce, lime juice, minced garlic, and chili. Adjust seasoning to taste.

6. Serve

• Arrange the Bánh cuốn on a plate. Garnish with fried shallots and fresh herbs.
• Serve with sliced cucumber, bean sprouts, and nước chấm on the side.