Bánh Tét

Wash 5 cups of glutinous white rice in a colander until the water is clear. Put the rice in a bowl and cover it with water. Keep it in the fridge for 12 hours.

Cut 1 pound of pork belly into four strips. Put the pork in a bag with 3 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 minced shallots, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Shake the bag and refrigerate for 12 hours.

Rinse 1 cup of dried mung beans. Put them in a pot with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3 cups water. Boil the beans on high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 16 to 18 minutes until creamy.

Put the beans in a food processor and blend until smooth. Spread the bean paste on a tray. Chill it in the fridge for 45 minutes.

Clean 12 banana leaves with a wet cloth. Cut off the hard strings from the edges of the leaves.

Take the pork out of the marinade. Put 1/4 cup bean paste on plastic wrap in a rectangle. Put one pork strip on the beans. Cover the pork with more bean paste and roll it into a tight log. Do this for all four strips.

Drain the rice and stir in 2 1/4 teaspoons salt.

Cut 36 pieces of twine 14 inches long. Cut 8 pieces of twine 28 inches long.

Layer 3 wide banana leaves to make an 11 by 14 inch rectangle. Spread 3/4 cup of rice in the center in a rectangle.

Put one pork roll on the rice. Cover it with 3/4 cup more rice. Wrap the leaf tightly around the roll. Tie the center with a 14 inch string. Fold the ends. Put 1/4 cup rice in the open end. Fold the leaf over like a present and hold it with a 28 inch string.

Flip the roll and put 1/4 cup rice in the other end. Seal the leaf and tie the 28 inch string. Cut the first center string. Tie five 14 inch strings around the roll every 1.5 inches. Wrap the whole roll in aluminum foil and tie it with three 14 inch strings. Repeat for all rolls.

Put rolls in a pot. Fill with water to 2 inches below the rim. Put a lid on the rolls to keep them under water. Boil on high heat. Lower heat and boil for 6 hours. Turn the rolls every 2 hours. Keep the water level steady. Cool for 3 hours or overnight. Remove foil and leaves. Slice into rounds.