← Nouns Cooking · Vietnamese

Ingredients

• 1 tsp Annatto seeds (hạt điều màu)
• 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 Shallot, minced
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 150 g Pork belly, skin removed, cut into small dice
• 150 g raw prawns, peeled and cut into small pieces
• 2 tsp Fish sauce
• 1 tsp Sugar
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 400 g Tapioca starch
• ½ tsp Salt
• 300 ml boiling water, plus a little extra
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 4 Spring onion, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp oil, for the scallion oil
• 2 tbsp Crispy fried shallots
• 3 tbsp fish sauce, for nước chấm
• 2 tbsp sugar, for nước chấm
• 1 Lime, juiced
• 90 ml warm water, for nước chấm
• 1 Bird's eye chilli, minced

Method

1. Warm the annatto seeds in the 2 tbsp oil over low heat for 2 minutes until the oil turns red, then strain out the seeds. Fry the shallot and garlic in the oil for 1 minute, add the pork and cook for 4–5 min until the fat renders. Add the prawns, fish sauce, sugar and pepper and stir for 2 minutes until the mixture is glossy and red. Cool.
2. Mix the tapioca starch and salt in a bowl. Pour in the boiling water while stirring with chopsticks, add the oil, then knead while still warm for 3–4 min into a smooth, play-dough-like ball. Add more boiling water a teaspoon at a time if it cracks. Keep it covered.
3. Pinch off walnut-sized pieces, flatten each into a 6 cm round, add a little filling with a piece of prawn, fold into a half moon and pinch firmly shut.
4. Boil the dumplings in batches in a large pot of water for 6–8 min, until they float and turn mostly translucent. Lift into a bowl of cold water for 1 minute, then drain.
5. Heat the scallion oil until shimmering and pour it over the spring onions. Toss the dumplings in it, top with fried shallots and serve with nước chấm made by stirring the remaining ingredients together.

Tips

• Contains shellfish.
• They harden in the fridge; reheat by steaming for a few minutes until chewy again.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Vicky Pham Wok and Kin