Bánh Tét Chay

Bánh Tét Chay is a traditional Vietnamese vegan sticky rice cake filled with sweet mung bean paste and wrapped in banana leaves, offering a delightful blend of flavors and textures. This dish is perfect for festive occasions or as a comforting snack.

Ingredients

• Glutinous rice - 200 grams
• Mung beans (split) - 100 grams
• Coconut milk - 100 ml
• Sugar - 50 grams
• Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
• Banana leaves - 4 large pieces (for wrapping)
• Water - as needed for soaking and cooking

Steps

1. Soak the glutinous rice in water for at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Soak the mung beans in water for 2 hours, then drain and steam them until soft (about 20 minutes).
3. In a bowl, mash the steamed mung beans and mix with sugar and a pinch of salt until well combined.
4. Drain the soaked glutinous rice and mix it with coconut milk and a pinch of salt.
5. Cut the banana leaves into rectangular pieces (about 30 cm x 20 cm) and soften them by briefly passing them over a flame or dipping them in hot water.
6. Place a piece of banana leaf on a flat surface, add a layer of glutinous rice (about 1/3 of the rice), then add a layer of mung bean paste (half of the mixture), followed by another layer of glutinous rice.
7. Fold the banana leaves over the filling tightly to form a rectangular shape, ensuring no filling is exposed, and tie securely with kitchen twine.
8. Repeat the process for the second cake.
9. In a large pot, bring water to a boil and carefully place the wrapped cakes in the pot. Make sure they are submerged in water.
10. Cover and steam for about 90 minutes, adding water as necessary to keep the pot filled.
11. Once cooked, remove the cakes from the pot and let them cool before unwrapping and slicing.

Nutrition

• Calories: 300
• Protein: 5 g
• Carbs: 55 g
• Fiber: 5 g
• Sugar: 10 g
• Sodium: 200 mg
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Total Fat: 7 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
• Water: 0.5 L

Health Benefits

• Rich in carbohydrates for energy.
• High in fiber from mung beans, aiding digestion.

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