There's nothing quite like homemade Bánh Bèo Chén / Vietnamese Steamed Rice Cakes in Bowls. While restaurant versions are satisfying, making it at home lets you control the ingredients, adjust the flavors to your preference, and enjoy it fresh whenever the craving hits.

Bánh bèo chén are delicate, silky rice cakes with a subtle chew from the tapioca starch — think of them as the Vietnamese answer to Italian gnocchi, but steamed and served in tiny bowls. The cakes themselves are mild and slightly savory, meant to be a canvas for the briny pop of dried shrimp, the rich gloss of scallion oil, and the sweet-sour punch of nước chấm. Each two-bite cake is a perfect balance of textures: tender jelly-like cake, crispy fried shallots, and chewy shrimp.

Ingredients

  • For the batter:
  • 1 cup (125g) rice flour
  • 1/4 cup (30g) tapioca starch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (480ml) water
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder (for color, optional)
  • For the topping (mỡ hành — scallion oil):
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions (green parts only)
  • 1/4 cup neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
  • For the shrimp topping (tôm chấy / tôm khô):
  • 1/2 cup dried shrimp, soaked in warm water 15 minutes, drained, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon oil for frying
  • For serving:
  • Fried shallots or crispy pork skin (tóp mỡ)
  • Nước chấm (dipping fish sauce) — 1:4:4 ratio fish sauce:sugar:water with lime juice, garlic, chili
  • Fresh herbs (cilantro, mint)
  • Bean sprouts (optional)
  • Sliced cucumber

Instructions

1

Make the batter

In a bowl, whisk together rice flour, tapioca starch, and salt. Add water gradually, whisking until smooth. Stir in oil and turmeric if using. Let rest 20 minutes at room temperature.

2

Prepare the shrimp topping

Soak dried shrimp in warm water for 15 minutes. Drain and finely chop. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add chopped shrimp, fish sauce, sugar, and pepper. Stir-fry 2-3 minutes until fragrant and slightly crispy. Set aside.

3

Make scallion oil

Heat oil in a small saucepan until shimmering. Pour over sliced scallions in a heatproof bowl. The residual heat will wilt the scallions. Stir and set aside.

4

Prepare the steaming setup

Bring a steamer to a boil. Arrange small saucer dishes (about 2-inch diameter) or silicone muffin cups on the steamer rack. Heat the empty dishes for 2-3 minutes until hot.

5

Steam the cakes

Give the batter a quick stir. Ladle about 1 tablespoon of batter into each hot dish (the batter should just cover the bottom). Cover and steam over high heat for 5-7 minutes, until the cakes are set and slightly translucent around the edges.

6

Remove and cool

Using tongs, carefully remove each dish from the steamer. Let cool 1-2 minutes. The cakes should release easily with a small spatula or butter knife.

7

Assemble

Place 3-4 cakes on a serving plate. Top each with a small amount of shrimp topping, a drizzle of scallion oil, and a sprinkle of fried shallots.

8

Serve immediately

with nước chấm on the side. Eat in 2-3 bites per cake.

Our Tips

Bánh bèo chén ("cloud cakes in bowls") are one of the most visually charming dishes in the Vietnamese repertoire — tiny, saucer-sized rice cakes that look like little clouds floating in their steaming dishes. They're a specialty of central Vietnam, particularly Huế, where they're served as part of the royal cuisine tradition. The name literally translates to "duckweed cakes" because the cakes are so thin and translucent they resemble duckweed floating on water.

The key to great bánh bèo is the batter consistency — too thick and they're gummy, too thin and they're fragile. The resting period is non-negotiable: it allows the rice flour to fully hydrate and the starch to settle, giving the cakes their characteristic silky-smooth texture. If you don't have the traditional small ceramic dishes, silicone mini muffin cups work beautifully and release even more easily.

For the shrimp topping, some cooks use fresh ground pork instead of dried shrimp, or a combination of both. The dried shrimp version is more traditional and has a more concentrated umami flavor. If you can't find dried shrimp, substitute finely chopped fresh shrimp sautéed with fish sauce.