Bánh Bôt Loc are Vietnam’s crystal shrimp and pork dumplings you NEED in your life! This dish is a complete texture wonderland – each dumpling is boiled until the skin’s super silky and springing with an ultra satisfying chew. Dip them into a sweet, savory and zesty sauce for the full experience!
If you love chewy dumplings, try them fried Chinese style, steamed Teo Chew style or wrapped like a pyramid!
The dumplings you’ll fall in love with
I still remember the first time I tried Bánh Bôt Loc from a local Vietnamese vendor, where these delicate little pockets were filled with a delightful pork and shrimp filling. So unassuming, yet perfectly balanced in flavor and texture. After my first bite, I wondered where they had been all my life!
Luckily for me at the time, the recipe was only one ask away from one of the best home cooks I know – Dad’s eldest sibling, my Aunty. Everything she makes is delicious, and her Thạch Dừa (Vietnamese Coconut Jelly) and Bì Chay (Vegetarian Shredded Pork) are a testimony to that.
But fast forward a few years later when I decide to make them on my own, her original recipe is nowhere to be found!
It was at that moment that I began my quest, determined to perfecting the Vietnamese dumplings that stole my heart all those years ago.
And five bags of tapioca starch later, I finally did it!
The beauty of using tapioca starch is that it creates a chew so satisfying, you won’t stop at just one. If you’ve ever had our Chicken Tapioca Noodle Soup (Bánh Canh Gà) or its crab or vegetarian equivalent, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.
It’s really difficult to capture how wonderfully textural Bánh Bôt Loc is from just photos alone. You have to try it for yourself to experience how each dumpling slides effortlessly into your mouth, smooth like silken wonton sheets.
The wrapping has a soft spring, teasing you to keep on chewing until you reach the center. It’s there that you’ve found the jewels to this treasure – delicious shrimp and pork gems springing with flavor.
If you want to know what indulging on Bánh Bôt Loc feels like, try our recipe this week!
Why this recipe works
- The dough is seasoned with salt, sugar and oil to ensure flavor is added to every layer.
- Annatto seed oil gives the shrimp and prawns color so the vibrance pops through the wrapping.
- Glazing the Bánh Bôt Loc with scallion oil adds a savory freshness to the dish.
What you’ll need
For the filling
About the ingredients
The shrimp shell for Bánh Bôt Loc can be kept on or off, depending on what you like. If you’re planning to keep the shells on for added texture, go for the small school prawns as we use in our Tôm Rim Thịt (Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp and Pork) so they’re easier to fill the dumplings with.
Otherwise, just deshell the shrimp and finely chop them as we did.
You can find annatto seed oil from Asian supermarkets or make your own using our Bánh Canh Cua (Crab Tapioca Noodle Soup) recipe.
For the dough
About the starch
I’ve tried a few brands using the same recipe, but oddly enough, different brands will yield different results. The brand I had the most success with was the tapioca starch from Erawan (its plastic bag has blue writing on it).
When mixed with hot water, the starch from Erawan would knead into a dough but when I used other brands, the mixture would have the wet texture of potato or corn starch mixed with water.
For the scallion oil
About the seasoning
Everything is to be added to taste. The chicken bouillon powder is entirely optional, but I find that it gives more flavor.
How to make this recipe
For the filling
Marinate the pork belly with 1/2 tbsp annatto seed oil, 1/2 clove chopped garlic, 1/2 chopped red shallot, 1/4 tbsp white pepper, 1/4 tbsp chicken bouillon powder, 1/4 tbsp fish sauce and 1 tsp paprika for 20 minutes.
Use the remaining seasoning to marinate the shrimp at the same time.
Heat up a pan with 3 tbsp cooking oil on high heat and stir fry the marinated pork belly for 5 minutes or until 80% cooked, then add the marinate shrimp in to cook for 5 minutes or until both are cooked through.
Let it cool as you work on the dough.
For the dough
Combine the tapioca starch, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
Pour 1 cup of the hot water onto the starch mixture and mix it well. The dough will be crumbly at first, but keep kneading until it begins to form a dry dough. Add the oil and knead through.
Slowly pour in the remaining hot water and knead it in until the starch has formed a smooth dough resembling the texture of playdough.
Wrapping the dumplings
Hand pressed method
Roll the dough into a long log and divide it into smaller portions. Use your hands to roll the segments into balls. Keep the balls in a plastic bag so they don’t dry out.
Note: The size of each ball depends on how big you want each Bánh Bôt Loc to be. Ours are roughly 1.5cm (0.6″) thick.
Take one ball out and flatten it using your palms. Then use your thumb and index finger to press the flattened dough until it is 10cm (4″) in diameter, or to preference.
Fill the dough with 1 tsp of the pork and shrimp filling.
Fold one end over to the other to make a semi-circle and seal the touching edges by pressing them tightly together.
Place each complete one on a plate as you work on the rest.
Note: While foolproof, I find that using the hand pressed method yields a thicker wrap and you don’t get to see the filling as well as you would with a thinner wrapper. See the next step for how to solve this.
To make the dough thinner, take each ball and roll it thin (roughly 2mm/0.08″ thick) using a rolling pin. Keep the unrolled balls in a plastic bag to stay moist and work in this fashion: roll, fill, seal, then start a new one and roll, fill seal.
Rolling method
Use a rolling pin and roll the entire dough ball flat so that it’s 2mm (0.08″) thick.
Using a round cookie cutter or cup, cut out circles. Transfer the circles to a plastic bag so they don’t dry out. Fill and seal as you would for the hand pressed method.
Cooking the dumplings
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the dumplings 5-10 at a time, depending on how big your pot is. Avoid overcrowding as this will reduce the cooking temperature.
Cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the Bánh Bôt Loc has been floating for 5 minutes.
While the first batch is cooking, fill up a large bowl with cold water. As soon as the dumplings are cooked, use a slotted spoon to transfer them into the cold water. This will help them become translucent.
Making the scallion oil
Mix the scallions with the salt and chicken bouillon powder, then heat up the oil until you start to see it smoking. Pour the hot oil over the scallions to sizzle and stir until combined.
To serve, remove the dumplings from the cold water using a slotted spoon. Spoon some of the scallion oil over the top, then enjoy the Bánh Bôt Loc dipped in a Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nước Mắm)!
Recipe FAQS
I had this issue when I used a particular tapioca starch brand, despite following the same recipe. You can try changing brands (I had the most success with Erawan) or using less water.
We put our dumplings in cold water to help them become translucent, but if that doesn’t happen for you then it might be that the skin is still too thick. Also make sure to be using hot water when mixing it into the starch.
I’ve heard of families squeezing some lemon juice in the dough to help with getting it clear. That might be an option you would want to consider.
If it’s too dry, it will run the risk of tearing. If I find it needs more moisture, I keep a cup of water next to me and dip my fingers in to get them slightly wet. Then it work it into each small dough ball to get it damp before I add the filing.
Alternatively, roll the dough a little thicker.
Tips for the best results
- Roll the dough thin and evenly. This will help the dumplings cook faster and have a less chewy bite.
- Don’t overstuff. It will easily tear the dough, which means that when they start to cook, the filling will leak out.
- Cut the filling ingredients finer. You’ll be able to fit more inside, which means more flavor and texture.
- Work quickly. The dough will dry out the longer you take, which runs the risk of tearing as you wrap. Make sure to keep the dough sealed in a plastic bag or in glad wrap when not being used.
More shrimp and pork recipes
- Bánh Khọt (Mini Savory Pancakes) – Fried until ultra crisp, these are perfect to wrap with fresh salad.
- Chả Giò (Spring Rolls) – Get the whole family together to wrap, roll and fry these addictive appetizers.
- Gỏi Cuốn (Rice Paper Rolls) – A signature Vietnamese dish, packed with herbs and noodles then dipped in a phenomenal Hoisin Peanut Sauce.
- Tôm Rim Thịt (Caramelized Shrimp and Pork) – Get your rice ready for a deliciously sweet and savory claypot favorite.
- Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang (Vietnamese Pork and Prawn Clear Noodle Soup) – This is a Vietnamese-Chinese-Cambodian fusion that locals love!
Want more home cooked recipes?
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Bánh Bôt Loc (Vietnamese Shrimp and Pork Dumplings)
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- slotted spoon
- plastic bag or damp towel
Ingredients
For The Filling
- 120 g / 0.3 lb pork belly (outermost skin removed, then cut into 0.5cm/0.2" pieces)
- 120 g/ 0.3 lb shrimp (deshelled and cut into 0.5cm/0.2" pieces)
- 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 red shallot (finely chopped)
- 1/2 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
- 1/2 tbsp white pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tbsp fish sauce (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp annatto seed oil
For The Dough
- 400 g / 0.88 lb tapioca starch
- 1 1/4 US cup hot water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp oil (we used the leftovers from our Scallion Oil Noodles)
For The Scallion Oil
- 1 1/2 US cup scallion (or to preference)
- 3/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 3/4 tsp chicken bouillon powder
- 3/4 US cup oil
Instructions
For The Filling
- Marinate the pork belly with 1/2 tbsp annatto seed oil, 1/2 clove chopped garlic, 1/2 chopped red shallot, 1/4 tbsp white pepper, 1/4 tbsp chicken bouillon powder, 1/4 tbsp fish sauce and 1 tsp paprika for 20 minutes.
- Use the remaining seasoning to marinate the shrimp at the same time.
- Heat up a pan with 3 tbsp cooking oil on high heat and stir fry the marinated pork belly for 5 minutes or until 80% cooked, then add the marinate shrimp in to cook for 5 minutes or until both are cooked through.
- Let it cool as you work on the dough.
For The Dough
- Combine the tapioca starch, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
- Pour 1 cup of the hot water onto the starch mixture and mix it well. The dough will be crumbly at first, but keep kneading until it begins to form a dry dough.
- Add the oil and knead through.
- Slowly pour in the remaining hot water and knead it in until the starch has formed a smooth dough resembling the texture of playdough.
Wrapping The Dumplings
Hand Pressed Method
- Roll the dough into a long log and divide it into smaller portions. Use your hands to roll the segments into balls. Keep the balls in a plastic bag so they don't dry out.Note: The size of each ball depends on how big you want each Bánh Bôt Loc to be. Ours are roughly 1.5cm (0.6") thick.
- Take one ball out and flatten it using your palms. Then use your thumb and index finger to press the flattened dough until it is 10cm (4") in diameter, or to preference.
- Fill the dough with 1 tsp of the pork and shrimp filling.
- Fold one end over to the other to make a semi-circle and seal the touching edges by pressing them tightly together.
- Place each complete one on a plate as you work on the rest.Note: While foolproof, I find that using the hand pressed method yields a thicker wrap and you don't get to see the filling as well as you would with a thinner wrapper. See the next step for how to solve this.
- To make the dough thinner, take each ball and roll it thin (roughly 2mm/0.08" thick) using a rolling pin. Keep the unrolled balls in a plastic bag to stay moist and work in this fashion: roll, fill, seal, then start a new one and roll, fill seal.
Rolling Method
- Use a rolling pin and roll the entire dough ball flat so that it's 2mm (0.08") thick.
- Using a round cookie cutter or cup, cut out circles.
- Transfer the circles to a plastic bag so they don't dry out. Fill and seal as you would for the hand pressed method.
Cooking The Dumplings
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the dumplings 5-10 at a time, depending on how big your pot is. Avoid overcrowding as this will reduce the cooking temperature. Cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the Bánh Bôt Loc has been floating for 5 minutes.
- While the first batch is cooking, fill up a large bowl with cold water. As soon as the dumplings are cooked, use a slotted spoon to transfer them into the cold water. This will help them become translucent.
Making The Scallion Oil
- Mix the scallions with the salt and chicken bouillon powder, then heat up the oil until you start to see it smoking.
- Pour the hot oil over the scallions to sizzle and stir until combined.
How To Serve
- Remove the dumplings from the cold water using a slotted spoon.
- Spoon some of the scallion oil over the top, then enjoy the Bánh Bôt Loc dipped in a Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nước Mắm)!
Notes
- Roll the dough thin and evenly. This will help the dumplings cook faster and have a less chewy bite.
- Don't overstuff. It will easily tear the dough, which means that when they start to cook, the filling will leak out.
- Cut the filling ingredients finer. You'll be able to fit more inside, which means more flavor and texture.
- Work quickly. The dough will dry out the longer you take, which runs the risk of tearing as you wrap. Make sure to keep the dough sealed in a plastic bag or in glad wrap when not being used.
- The shrimp shell can be kept on or off, depending on what you like. If you're planning to keep the shells on for added texture, go for the small school prawns so they're easier to fill the dumplings with. Otherwise, just deshell the shrimp and finely chop them as we did.
- You can find annatto seed oil from Asian supermarkets or make your own using our Bánh Canh Cua (Crab Tapioca Noodle Soup) recipe.
- I've tried a few tapioca starch brands using the same recipe, but oddly enough, different brands will yield different results. The brand I had the most success with was from Erawan (its plastic bag has blue writing on it).
Nutrition
This post was originally published on 27/9/21 and updated with new recipe links in October 2022.
This recipe worked so well! We always made these with only shrimp as a kid, so I omitted the pork belly, but otherwise I followed the instructions closely. Thank you so much for the tip to roll the dough into a thin rectangle and cut out circles as opposed to hand forming — I agree that hand forming makes for overly thick/chewy dumplings (I used to routinely choke on them as a kid lol). Thank you so much for posting this!
Hi, Kim! I’m glad it worked out so well for you! Haha, yeah when I trialled them with the hand forming method, it didn’t give me the mouthfeel that I wanted so I tried it with a thinner dough. So good that you found it helpful!
If i was to make these ahead of time and out them in cold water to become translucent, do you think it would be possible to steam them to warm them up just before guests arrive or would that make them soggy or …something not ideal?
Hi, Kel! For the best results if you’re low on time, I would suggest freezing the uncooked ones and then boiling them before your guests arrive. Hope that helps!