Che Bot Loc Heo Quay (Tapioca Dumplings with Roast Pork), Sweetened with Monk Fruit
Sweets and drinksSweet SoupsVietnamAbout 50 minutes
Che bot loc heo quay is a Hue sweet soup unlike any other, salty and sweet at once. The dumplings are clear and chewy, and biting in reaches a filling of richly braised roast pork.
The difficulty is kneading the dough, since water that is not hot enough leaves it unable to bind and the dumplings burst while boiling. Tapioca starch has to be kneaded with water still at a boil so part of the starch cooks and the dough turns pliable. Dumplings dropped straight into cold water after boiling firm up and turn chewier.
This batch weighs about 1.2kg, at roughly 87 calories per 100g.
Method
Cut 150g of roast pork into small dice. Bring water to the boil and cook the pork for about 5 minutes to take off some fat, then lift it out to drain.
Set a pan on the heat, add the roast pork with 45g of kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and stir over low heat until the filling turns glossy and sticky.
Mix 150g of tapioca starch with 1 teaspoon of salt, the remaining 9g of kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a large bowl. Pour in 80ml of boiling water slowly while stirring, then knead until the dough is smooth and pliable and no longer sticks to your hands.
Divide the dough into small pieces, roll them round and press them flat, put the roast pork filling in the middle and seal them into parcels.
Bring water to the boil and cook the dumplings. Once they float and turn clear, cook another 5 minutes, then lift them straight into a bowl of cold water.
Put 600ml of water in a pot with 90g of kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 30g of pandan leaf and a little salt. Bring it to the boil until fully dissolved, then lift the pandan out.
Add the dumplings to the pot along with 20g of shredded ginger and cook for about another 10 minutes.
Ladle into bowls and serve hot or over ice, with a scattering of roasted sesame for scent.
Tips
Tapioca starch is kneaded with water still at about 90 to 100 degrees C, since cooled water leaves the dough unable to bind and the dumplings burst while boiling.
The filling comes off the heat as soon as it turns glossy, because longer cooking dries it hard and makes it difficult to wrap.
A spoonful of reduced fresh coconut water deepens the colour for anyone who wants it darker.
Wrapped dumplings go under a damp cloth, as dough left uncovered dries on the surface and cracks in the water.
The syrup is best cooked separately before the dumplings go in, since boiling them straight in it clouds the liquid with starch.
Need kOBE Monk Fruit Blend?
The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.