Vietnamese Savoury Sticky Rice Balls – Banh Khuc

Servings: 10 Total Time: 2 hrs Difficulty: Intermediate
A Traditional Northern Vietnamese Delight with Savoury Flavours and Comforting Textures
Vietnamese Savoury Sticky Rice Balls - Banh Khuc pinit

Only by mentioning the name Vietnamese Savoury Sticky Rice Balls (Banh Khuc) am I instantly transported back to Hanoi and my childhood. This beloved dish was not just food; it was Sunday ritual, a nostalgic piece of my upbringing in a bustling small alley in Hanoi.

The Call of “Banh Khuc”

Back in the day, my Mum and Dad worked full-time six days a week, leaving Sunday as our precious family day. Sundays were also when street vendors would roam the alleys with mobile food stalls mounted on bicycles, calling out their goods.

One particular vendor’s call – “Ai Bánh Khúc đây!” (Savoury Sticky Rice Balls, anyone?) – still echoes in my memory. They’d walk their bikes slowly, calling out repeatedly, pausing to listen for a response. If someone called them, they’d paddle over swiftly.

As a child, I eagerly awaited their arrival. I knew the rough times they would pass by, and the anticipation was part of the excitement. After much negotiation with my parents, often tied to school achievements, I’d run to the kitchen, grab a bowl or plate, collect a money note, and rush out to call, “Bánh Khúc ơi!”

The vendor would quickly cycle to me unless busy with another customer. And just like that, my Sunday breakfast was sorted – a warm, comforting savoury sticky rice ball in hand.

Vietnamese Savoury Sticky Rice Balls today

Times have hanged. The charm of street vendors on bicycles has been overtaken by the convenience of online food delivery. With just a phone call, a delivery driver can bring any dish to your doorstep in minutes. Yet, the nostalgia for those simpler days lingers.

Vietnamese Savoury Sticky Rice Balls remain a traditional dish from Northern Vietnam, where sticky rice is a popular breakfast or snack. Beneath the sticky rice layer lies a medley of flavours – earthy green from Khúc leaves (a type of aster plant), savoury pork belly, peppery mung beans, and fragrant fried spring onions. This combination creates a comforting and flavourful treat.

A weekend cooking therapy

While Vietnamese Savoury Sticky Rice Balls require several steps, it’s a rewarding weekend cooking project. Here’s how you can bring a piece of Hanoi to your kitchen.

Ingredients you’ll need

Banh khuc ingredients

1. Glutinous (sticky) rice

Opt for Vietnamese Nếp cái hoa vàng for ít fragrant aroma, but Thai sticky rice works too. Soak the rice for 8-10 hours to speed up steaming and ensure soft, chewy results.

2. Mung beans

Use husked and split mung beans. Soak alongside the rice for the same duration.

3. Pork belly

Cut into small chunks. This adds richness and flavour, especially when stir-fried with spring onions.

4. Spring onions

Use both with and green parts, finely chopped for frying.

5. Glutinous rice flour and spinach

The spinach, blended and heated, creates the signature green dough for the rice ball.

6. Other essentials

Oil, salt, pepper, and fried onions for garnish.

Steps to make Vietnamese Savoury Sticky Rice Balls

1. Preparation

The first step in making Vietnamese Savoury Sticky Rice Balls is soaking the sticky rice and mung beans. This should be done at least 8-10 hours in advance, preferably overnight. This soaking process softens the rice and beans, ensuring they cook quickly and evenly. By morning, the grains will be tender enough to press and break easily between your fingers, which is crucial for achieving the signature soft and chewy texture of the sticky rice.

2. Cooking the mung beans

Once soaked, rinse the mung beans thoroughly and place them in a pot with plenty of water. Bring the port to boil without a lid, keeping a close eye on it as the water can quickly boil over. When it starts frothing, immediately remove the pot from the heat and pour off most of the water along with the froth. This step ensures the beans are clean and ready to cook further.

Add just enough water to cover the surface of the mung beans and a pinch of salt to season them, then return the pot to heat. Simmer on the lowest heat setting for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The beans should be tender enough to mash but not overly mushy. Once cooked, set the mung beans aside to cool.

cooked mung beans

    3. Preparing the pork belly filling

    To prepare the filling, heat two tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped spring onions, including both the white and green parts, and fry them until they are fragrant and golden. Next, add the chopped pork belly and stir well, seasoning with a teaspoon of salt. Cook the mixture for about 3-4 minutes.

    fry spring onions
    cook pork belly

    Once the pork is cooked through, add the cooled mung beans to the pan and mix everything thoroughly. Season generously with ground black pepper, or crushed pepper if you’d like a bolder flavour. Allow the filling to cool for 5-10 minutes before dividing it into 10 portions. Roll each portion into a small ball using gloved hands.

    Banh Khuc filling

    4. Making the green dough

    The green dough is made by blending spinach leaves with water in a blender until smooth. Once blended, gently warm the spinach juice, either in a microwave for 90 seconds or in a saucepan over low heat. Be careful not to boil it.

    Blend spinach with water
    Spinach juice

    In a large bowl, measure out the glutinous rice flour and gradually add the warm spinach juice, mixing continuously. Keep adding the juice a little at a time until the flour forms lumps. At this point, add a dash of oil and knead the mixture for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and no longer sticks to the bowl.

    Make green dough
    Make green dough
    Make green dough

    Divide the dough into 10 equal portions, rolling each into a ball or flattening slightly into a round shape.

    filling balls and green dough

    5. Assembling the sticky rice balls

    To assemble, take one portion of the green dough and flatten it in your hands. Place a filling ball in the centre and carefully wrap the dough around it, ensuring the filling is completely enclosed. Repeat this process for all 10 portions.

    Make the green balls
    Make the green balls

    Once all the balls are formed, roll them one by one in the soaked sticky rice until they are evenly coated.

    Roll the balls in glutinous rice

    6. Steaming the Savoury Sticky Rice Balls

    Prepare a steamer with boiling water, ensuring the water level is below the steamer’s surface so it doesn’t touch the balls. Arrange the sticky rice balls in the steamer, leaving gaps between them to allow the steam to circulate.

    Steam the balls

    To prevent condensation from dripping onto the rice balls, wrap the steamer lid with a clean kitchen towel. Steam the balls for about 30 minutes or until the sticky rice is fully cooked and soft. Depending on the size of your steamer, you may need to steam the balls in two batches.

    7. Serving

    Once steamed, the Vietnamese Savoury Sticky Rice Balls are ready to be served. Garnish with fried onions for an added layer of flavour and texture. Enjoy the sticky rice balls warm as a comforting breakfast or snack.

    Banh Khuc

    Making Banh Khuc from scratch is a labour of love, but the reward is worth every step. The balance of textures and flavours – soft sticky rice, savoury pork and mung beans, and the herbal aroma of spinach leaves – makes it an unforgettable dish. Whether you’re recreating nostalgic memories or exploring Vietnamese cuisine for the first time, this dish is a must-try.

    Banh Khuc

    Don’t forget to explore my other traditional Vietnamese recipes here.

    Vietnamese Savoury Sticky Rice Balls – Banh Khuc

    Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 30 mins Cook Time 90 mins Total Time 2 hrs
    Servings: 10 Estimated Cost: £ 5

    Description

    Vietnamese Savoury Sticky Rice Balls are a traditional Northern Vietnamese dish made with glutinous rice, a green dough infused with spinach, and a savoury filling of pork belly, mung beans, and spring onions. Steamed to perfection, they’re a comforting and flavourful treat for breakfast or as a snack.

    Vietnamese Savoury Sticky Rice Balls - Bánh Khúc

    Cooking Mode Disabled

    For the Sticky Rice

    For the Filling

    For the Green Dough

    Topping

    Instructions

    1. Prepare the Sticky Rice and Mung Beans
      • Soak the glutinous rice and mung beans in water for 8-10 hours or overnight.
    1. Cook the Mung Beans
      • Rinse and boil mung beans with water. Once boiling, skim off froth and reduce water to just above the beans.
      • Add a pinch of salt, simmer for 20-25 minutes until tender but not mushy. 
      • Cool and set aside. 
    1. Prepare the Filling
      • Heat oil in a pan, fry spring onions until fragrant, then add pork belly and cook for 3-4 minutes with salt, pepper. 
      • Stir in cooked mung beans, mix well, and divide into 10 portions.
      • Roll into small balls. 
    1. Make the Green Dough
      • Blend spinach leaves with water, then gently heat the juice. 
      • Gradually mix into the glutinous rice flour until a smooth dough forms. 
      • Add oil and knead for 5 minutes.
      • Divide into 10 portions.
    1. Assemble the Balls
      • Flatten a portion of dough, place a filling ball in the centre, and wrap it completely. 
      • Roll in sticky rice until evenly coated. 
    1. Steam the Balls
      • Arrange in a steamer with space between each ball. 
      • Steam for 30 minutes, ensuring no water drips onto the balls by wrapping the steamer lid with a clean towel. 
    1. Serve
      • Top with fried onions and enjoy warm as a breakfast or snack. 

    Nutrition Facts

    Servings 10


    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 477.21kcal
    % Daily Value *
    Total Fat 14.68g23%
    Saturated Fat 4.55g23%
    Cholesterol 14.4mg5%
    Sodium 307.96mg13%
    Potassium 359.22mg11%
    Total Carbohydrate 73.81g25%
    Dietary Fiber 3.52g15%
    Sugars 1.16g
    Protein 10.91g22%

    Vitamin A 50.51 IU
    Vitamin C 4.37 mg
    Calcium 41.92 mg
    Iron 1.98 mg
    Vitamin E 0.86 IU
    Vitamin K 60.35 mcg
    Thiamin 0.25 mg
    Riboflavin 0.13 mg
    Niacin 2.94 mg
    Vitamin B6 0.3 mg
    Folate 121.73 mcg
    Vitamin B12 0.16 mcg
    Phosphorus 166.67 mg
    Magnesium 66.08 mg
    Zinc 1.49 mg

    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

    Note

    • Use Nếp cái hoa vàng glutinous rice for authentic flavour but Thai sticky rice is a good substitute.
    • Wrap the steamer lid with a kitchen towel to avoid water dripping onto the rice balls.
    Keywords: Bánh Khúc, Vietnamese Savoury Sticky Rice Balls, Vietnamese recipes, traditional Vietnamese dish, sticky rice recipes, savoury rice balls, Northern Vietnamese cuisine, glutinous rice, pork and mung bean filling, Vietnamese snacks, Hanoi food

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    Thao Bui

    Food Blogger, Stylist and Photographer

    Hi there, it’s lovely to meet you! I am a home cook, food lover and the founder of Summer and Spice. Originally from Hanoi, Vietnam—a city abundant in rich, diverse flavours—I now live in the UK with my husband and three kids.

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