Bánh gối • “Pillow” meat hand pies

Bánh gối, bánh xếp, bánh quai vạc- these hand pies are known by many names in Vietnam, depending on the region you’re in. But a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, and a bánh gối by any name would taste just as delicious!

These pies are filled with the tried and true Vietnamese filling of minced pork, woodear and shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and mung bean noodles (the same base for our Nem rán – fried spring rolls); with the special addition of quail eggs and lạp xưởng- Chinese lap cheong sausage.

Vietnamese cuisine is a beautiful tapestry of many influences due to the country’s long history of international trading, wars, and migrations: Cambodian, French, and as we can see in this recipe- Chinese.

If you are ever in Hà Nội, the most famous bánh gối shop in the city is on Lý Quốc Sư street and has been in operations since 1983.

Bánh gối • “Pillow” hand pies

Course: MainCuisine: VietnameseDifficulty: Medium
Makes

15

Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes
Total time

0

minutes

Ingredients

  • Dough
  • 500 g 500 all-purpose flour

  • 60 g 60 white rice flour

  • 250 ml 250 water

  • 1 tsp 1 salt

  • 1/2 tsp 1/2 sugar

  • 1/4 tsp 1/4 turmeric powder

  • 2 2 eggs

  • Filling
  • 450 g 450 minced pork

  • 10 g 10 wood ear mushrooms (dry)

  • 10 g 10 shiitake mushrooms (dry)

  • 50 g 50 carrots

  • 50 g 50 shallots

  • 100 g 100 mung bean noodles

  • 1 tbsp 1 fish sauce

  • 1 tsp 1 bouillon powder

  • 15 15 quail eggs

  • 3 3 lap cheong sausages (lạp xưởng/lạp sườn)

  • Dipping sauce
  • 3 tbsp 3 fish sauce

  • 2 tbsp 2 white sugar

  • 300 ml 300 warm water

  • 1 tbsp 1 white vinegar (or 1.5 tbsp lime juice)

  • 5 cloves 5 garlic

  • Bird’s eye chili (to taste/optional)

  • 50 g 50 carrots

  • 50 g 50 kohlrabi

  • For serving
  • Lettuce

  • Herbs (mint, cilantro, thai basil)

Directions

  • Making the dough
  • Sift the all-purpose flour, rice flour, turmeric powder into a large bowl. Add salt and sugar and mix well.
  • Whisk the eggs and water together.
  • Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg/water mixture. Using a fork, gradually mix in the dry ingredients in a circular motion. When there is no more separate liquid in the middle, start mixing with your hands until everything is fully combined.
  • Knead dough for 2-3 minutes, then place into an airtight container, and let rest for 1 hour in room temperature.
  • Making the filling
  • Add quail eggs to a pot of water, bring to boil, then cook for 6 minutes. Remove the eggs to an ice bath for 2 minutes. Peel and set aside.
  • Cut the sausages into 0.5cm diagonal slices. Set aside.
  • Rehydrate woodear and shiitake mushrooms in hot water. Soak mung bean noodles for 5 minutes in cold water. Drain.
  • Peel carrots. Medium-dice carrots, shallots, and mushrooms.
  • Add the minced pork, carrots, shallots, and mushrooms to a large mixing bowl.
  • Hold the mung bean noodles in one hand and use scissors to cut them into 3cm length into the mixing bowl.
  • Add fish sauce and bouillon powder. Mix until everything is combined.
  • Assemble the pies
  • Dust your work surface with a little bit of flour and roll out the dough to 3mm thickness.
  • Use a 10-12 cm dough cutter to cut into circles.
  • Lay a piece of dough flat. Add about 2 tbsps of filling to the bottom half of the circle. Place 2 slices of sausage in a line and a quail egg in the middle on top.
  • Fold the top of the circle down and pull the bottom up so that the edges meet. Press the edges together to seal. Your dough should be moist enough for the edges to stick without adding water.
  • Gently press around to even out the filling if needed.
  • Starting from one folded corner, press down with your thumb, then place your thumb under the flap and fold up to create the first pleat.
  • Press down with your thumb again on the edge of the first pleat, then place your thumb under the flap and fold up to create the second pleat. You can continue all around or until the middle and mirror on the other side until the pleats meet in the middle.
  • Repeat for the rest of the dough.
    TIP: If you end up with extra filling, use it as a quick sauté for lunch or as filling for a spring rolls.
  • Making the dipping sauce
  • Peel and thinly slice carrots (~3mm).
  • Peel and thinly slice kohlrabi (~3mm). Cut slices into bite size pieces.
  • Soak carrots and kohlrabi in a bowl of salted water for 15 minutes. Drain.
  • Mix the remaining ingredients for the sauce. Add in the carrots and kohlrabi.
  • Frying the pies
  • Heat vegetable oil over medium in a large frying pan or pot with deep sides. The oil is ready when it bubbles around a wooden chopstick and spatula.
  • Add in a few pies at a time, depending on the size of your pan. Fry until golden on both sides- about 6.5 minutes.
  • Remove to oil draining rack.
  • Serve immediately while hot with dipping sauce, lettuce, and herbs.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @mmbonappetit on Instagram

 

One Comment

  1. Pingback: 43 Fantastic Vietnamese Snacks To Fill Your Belly 2023

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*