Minced Meat and Mung Beans Dumplings (Bak Kueh)

Minced Meat and Mung Bean Dumplings (Bak Kueh)

Minced Meat and Mung Beans Dumplings (Bak Kueh)

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Chinese

Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 30

Soak the beans: 4

Total Time: 5 30

Servings: pieces

Calories: 173kcal

Author: Marvellina

These bak kueh-inspired minced meat and mung bean dumplings feature a soft, chewy skin, savory pork and mung bean filling, and fragrant banana leaf wrapping.

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US Customary - Metric

Ingredients

For the skin:

260 g glutinous rice flour
200 g mashed potato
150 g hot boiling water
2 tsp oil

Filling (enough for 12, may have a bit leftovers maybe)

80 g split mung bean soak for 4 hours
120 g ground pork
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
½ tsp five spice powder
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp corn starch
1 tsp chicken powder
1 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp oil
2 large shallots thinly sliced

Instructions

Prepare the filling:

Soak mung beans in water for at least 4 hours. After soaking the beans, discard water and steam over medium heat for 20 minutes or until the beans are soft
Divide the mung beans in half and mash half of the beans into a paste consistency
Marinate the ground pork with dark soy sauce, soy sauce, five-spice powder, sesame oil, cornstarch, chicken powder, and brown sugar for at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours (keep in the fridge if marinating for longer than 30 minutes)
Preheat 1 Tbsp of oil on a large skillet. Add the shallots and fry them until they are golden brown and slightly crisp. Remove the shallots from the oil. Add the pork to the same oil. Use a spatula to break the chunks of meat and stir fry until they just start to turn color. Add the mashed mung beans and the rest of the unmashed mung beans. Continue to stir until the meat mixture is kind of mushy. If the mixture seems a bit dry, add a bit of water, 1 Tbsp at a time. Stir in the shallots.
Have a taste and adjust to your preference. It should be savory with just a hint of sweetness. Let it cool down completely before using . You can prepare the filling ahead up to this point. Cover and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days
When ready to use, divide the filling into 15 portions

Prepare the skin:

Roughly combine flour, salt, and mashed potato. Pour in hot boiling water, start with 130 g first. Use spatula to stir when it's not too hot anymore , knead with your hand until the dough is soft and supple. Add the oil and knead into soft pliable dough. If the dough feels dry, add a bit more water, 1 tsp at a time. Wrap in plastic wrap and rest for 15 minutes.

Wrapping:

While waiting, prepare the banana leaves. Cut the banana leaves into 15 x 18 cm. Remove the spines from the leaves if any. Wipe them clean and dip each one in hot boiling water for about 30 seconds or so and wipe them dry before using. Brush the smooth side of each leaf with some oil to prevent sticking
Divide dough into 15 equal pieces. Roll into balls, keep them covered and work with one dough at a time. Push into the dough with your thumb to form a large cavity large enough for the filling, like a bowl. Fill with filling and then enclose the dough by pinching the seams together. Then gently flatten into a parcel shape
Place this on the oiled banana leaf. Fold the top and bottom over to cover the filling and then fold the two sides down to complete the wrapping

Steaming:

Bring the water in the steamer to a rolling boil. Place the wrapped dumplings on a steaming rack and steam for 15 minutes over medium heat

Serve:

Serve while they are warm or at room temperature

Storage:

Let them cool completely and then keep them in an air-tight container and they can be kept in the fridge for about 3-4 days. Simply reheat in the steamer for about 5 minutes or until heated through. You can also reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until heated through
For a longer storage, keep them in the freezer for up to 1 month. You can thaw them overnight in the fridge and then reheat in the steamer or microwave

Nutrition