Banh Chung (Vietnamese Sticky Rice Cake)

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1. 1Step 1: Make a square cardboard mold. You can make them different sizes depending on your preference. I made mine about 4x4 inches wide and 2 inches high.
2. 2Step 2: Soak sticky rice. Wash the sticky rice until the water turns clear. Soak the rice in salted water overnight.
3. 3Step 3: Marinate the pork belly. Slice the pork belly into about 1/4 inch thick slices. Marinate the pork with salt, sugar, chicken powder, pepper, fish sauce, and shallots in the refrigerator overnight.
4. 4Step 4: Soak the mung beans. Wash the mung beans until the water turns clear. Soak the mung beans with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and enough water to cover the rice in the refrigerator overnight.
5. 5Step 5: Strain the rice. Strain the water from the rice. Set aside.
6. 6Step 6: Boil the mung beans. Strain the mung beans. In a medium pot, fill halfway with water, add 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt, and the soaked mung beans. Heat on high until it boils. When the water boils, turn the heat down to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes or until softened. Then strain the water and mash the mung beans.
7. 7Step 7: Sauté the shallots. In a large skillet or wok, heat 3-4 tablespoons of vegetable oil on high heat. Add the shallots and saute for 2 minutes on high and then reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until caramelized and tender, about 10 minutes.
8. 8Step 8: Mix. In a medium mixing bowl, mix the sugar, pepper, chicken powder, caramelized shallots, and mashed mung beans. Set aside.
9. 9Step 9: Line the mold with banana leaves. Line the mold with at least 4-6 strips of banana leaves (~4x 12 inches), layering them in alternative directions like a cross. Make sure to leave 2 inches of banana leaf above the mold so it can be sealed later. Then, using 4 thinner strips (~2x10 inches), line the inside of the mold to seal the corners.
10. 10Step 10: Add the rice. Add an even layer of sticky rice, about 1/2 of an inch.
11. 11Step 11: Layer the mung beans and meat. Layer an even 1/4 inch layer of mung beans. Make sure to leave 1/4 inch of space around the edges for the rice. Layer the pork belly on top of the mung bean layer. Lastly, layer another even 1/4 inch layer of mung beans.
12. 12Step 12: Fill with rice. Fill in the edges and the top 1/2 inch with sticky rice.
13. 13Step 13: Fold the leaves over and wrap. Using alternating strips, fold the leaves over tightly. Seal with tape, then tightly wrap with a string like a present. Make sure to wrap the string along the edges as well to keep it all together. See video.
14. 14Step 14: In a large pot, if possible, place a small wire rack at the bottom, then line the rack with 3-4 layers of banana leaves, covering the entire rack. Add the sticky rice cakes, and then fill the pot with enough water to cover. Cover the pot with a lid and bring it to a boil on high heat. Once it boils, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for about 7 hours. If the water level is too low, add more boiling water to cover.
15. 15Step 15: Serve after 30 minutes. Take them out of the pot and let them cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Then serve with chả lụa (Vietnamese cold cuts) and pickled vegetables. Enjoy!