Bánh Tráng Trộn is one of those dishes that rewards patience and attention to detail. This recipe captures the authentic flavors that make this dish a Vietnamese staple.

Bánh Tráng Trộn is a riot of textures and flavors in every bite — chewy softened rice paper strips, crunchy green mango, crispy dried shrimp, tender beef jerky, and creamy quail eggs, all bound together by a tangy-savory tamarind dressing. The dish hits sweet, sour, salty, spicy, and umami simultaneously, with the heady aroma of Vietnamese coriander (rau ram) cutting through the richness. It's the Vietnamese equivalent of a composed salad that eats like a snack — refreshing, addictive, and built for sharing.

Ingredients

    For the Salad

    • 6-8 ounces shredded green mango (unripe Vietnamese or Thai mango)
    • 4 ounces rice paper, cut into thin strips (½–1 inch wide; Three Ladies brand recommended)
    • 10 quail eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
    • 2 oz Vietnamese beef jerky (Bac Cu brand curry flavor recommended)
    • 1 oz crispy tiny shrimp (dried)
    • 1 teaspoon shrimp powder with chili
    • 2 tablespoons fried shallots
    • 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts
    • ½ cup Vietnamese mint (rau ram / Vietnamese coriander)

    For the Tamarind Sauce

    • 1 ounce tamarind paste
    • ½ cup boiling water
    • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
    • 2 tablespoons sugar
    • 1 tablespoon kumquat juice
    • 1 bird's eye chili, sliced

    Instructions

    1

    Soak the tamarind paste in ½ cup boiling water for 5 minutes, breaking up any chunks with a spoon.

    2

    Set aside until cool enough to handle.

    3

    Pass the mixture through a sieve to extract the tamarind water, pressing with the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

    4

    Whisk ¼ cup of the tamarind water with fish sauce, sugar, and kumquat juice in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside.

    5

    Cut the rice paper into strips with kitchen shears, between ½ to 1 inch wide.

    6

    Peel the green mango, halve it, and discard the seed. Cut the mango into strips about 3–5 inches in length and ⅛ inch thick using a mandoline or a very sharp knife.

    7

    Place the shredded mango in a bowl of ice cold water to keep it crisp.

    8

    Hard-boil the quail eggs (boil for 2-3 minutes, then ice bath), peel and set aside.

    9

    If using whole beef jerky, shred or cut into thin strips.

    10

    Roughly chop the Vietnamese mint (rau ram).

    11

    In a large bowl, combine the rice paper strips, shredded mango (drained), beef jerky, crispy tiny shrimp, quail eggs, and Vietnamese mint. Toss to combine.

    12

    Drizzle some of the tamarind sauce over the salad and toss again until the rice papers have softened (1-2 minutes of tossing).

    13

    Top the salad with shrimp powder with chili, fried shallots, and roasted peanuts.

    14

    Serve immediately on a plate or in a bag with chopsticks.