Name: Bánh ít nhân đậu xanh (Bình Định ramie-leaf cake with mung bean)
Prep time: 90 min
Cook time: 85 min
Total time: 475 min
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 100 g dried lá gai (ramie leaves); 500 g glutinous rice flour; 300 g granulated sugar; 60 ml neutral oil; Up to 250 ml warm water, added gradually; extra water for boiling the leaves; 250 g split, hulled mung beans, soaked at least 4 hours; 150 g granulated sugar; 60 g fresh grated coconut; 1 g fine salt (a generous pinch); 5 ml vanilla extract (1 teaspoon), optional modern home-kitchen addition; 16 banana-leaf squares, about 20 cm each, softened and wiped clean; 30 ml neutral oil (2 tablespoons), for greasing hands and leaves

Banana-leaf bánh ít pyramids with one cut open to show its dark glutinous rice shell and golden mung-bean coconut center.

Yield 16 small cakes

Cook time About 85 minutes across leaf, filling and cake preparation

Passive time About 5 hours, including the bean soak and cooling

Total time About 7 hours 55 minutes; begin the soak ahead

Calories About 340 kcal per cake

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Bánh ít nhân đậu xanh (Bình Định ramie-leaf cake with mung bean)

Bánh ít is a family of Vietnamese cakes, and fillings and wrappers vary by region. This recipe follows a documented Bình Định form: lá gai (ramie leaf) is boiled and pounded into the dough, while sweet mung bean and coconut make a dense, fragrant center. Each little pyramid is enclosed in banana leaf and steamed until the rice dough turns glossy.

The dough should be elastic enough to seal around the filling without cracking. Add water gradually because the ramie paste and flour absorb differently. Let the filling cool completely before shaping, and allow the steamed cakes to set before opening the leaf.

This is the Bình Định bánh ít lá gai style: the dark, springy wrapper gets its color and distinctive earthy note from ramie leaf rather than artificial coloring. Sweet mung-bean paste and coconut form the filling, while the banana leaf adds fragrance and helps the small cake keep its shape. Other bánh ít may use different doughs or savory fillings; this recipe focuses on one well-documented sweet central-coast version.

Both the dough and filling need the right texture. Cook the mung beans until fully tender, then stir the filling until it holds together. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic; it should stop sticking to clean, dry hands. A snug leaf parcel steams evenly, while a fully cooled cake is easier to unwrap without tearing.

Practical

Tips for successSoak the mung beans in the refrigerator when soaking for several hours or overnight. Drain them well before cooking. Boil and pound the lá gai until no coarse fibers remain; fibrous pieces can make the finished cake stringy. Add warm water to the dough a spoonful at a time. Stop when it is smooth, pliable and no longer sticks to clean hands. Cool the mung-bean filling completely before wrapping; warm filling softens the dough and makes shaping difficult. Soften the banana leaves until pliable, wipe them dry and oil lightly so they fold without cracking. Keep the steamer at a steady boil and leave room around each parcel for steam to circulate.

Ingredients

Ramie dough

100 g dried lá gai (ramie leaves)
500 g glutinous rice flour
300 g granulated sugar
60 ml neutral oil
Up to 250 ml warm water, added gradually; extra water for boiling the leaves

Mung-bean filling

250 g split, hulled mung beans, soaked at least 4 hours
150 g granulated sugar
60 g fresh grated coconut
1 g fine salt (a generous pinch)
5 ml vanilla extract (1 teaspoon), optional modern home-kitchen addition

Wrapping

16 banana-leaf squares, about 20 cm each, softened and wiped clean
30 ml neutral oil (2 tablespoons), for greasing hands and leaves

Method

Soak the beans and prepare the leaf. Soak the mung beans in plenty of cool water in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight, then drain. Cut the dried lá gai into pieces, cover with fresh water and boil for 20–25 minutes until completely soft. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Pound or process to a fine paste, with no coarse fibers. Keep some warm water aside to adjust the dough.
Cook the filling. Steam the soaked mung beans over boiling water or simmer them in fresh water until completely tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well if simmered. While hot, mash with the sugar, coconut, salt and optional vanilla. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the mixture becomes a thick paste that holds its shape. Spread in a shallow dish and cool completely; refrigerate if it will take more than 2 hours. Divide into 16 balls.
Make the dough. Mix the glutinous rice flour, sugar, oil and ramie paste. Add up to 250 ml warm water a little at a time while kneading until the dough is smooth, elastic and no longer sticks to clean, dry hands. The moisture in the leaf paste and flour varies, so do not add all the water automatically. Knead for about 10 minutes.
Fill and shape. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. Flatten one piece into a disc, put a mung-bean ball in the center, wrap the dough around it and pinch the seam closed. Roll smooth and shape into a small cone or pyramid. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Wrap in banana leaf. Briefly soften the banana leaves over a flame or in hot water until pliable; wipe clean and dry. Lightly oil each square. Place a filled cake in the center and fold the leaf into a snug pyramid, securing it with a thin strip of leaf or kitchen string. Keep the wrap snug but do not compress the dough.
Steam the cakes. Bring water in the steamer to a steady boil. Arrange the wrapped cakes in a single layer with room for steam to circulate; steam in batches if needed. Cover and steam for 30–35 minutes, until the dough is glossy and firm through the leaf. Keep the water boiling and replenish carefully if needed.
Set and serve. Remove the cakes and cool for at least 15 minutes before unwrapping so the dough can finish setting. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Store leftovers safely. Refrigerate cooked cakes within 2 hours (within 1 hour above 32°C / 90°F) at or below 4°C / 40°F. Store covered and use within 3–4 days. Reheat thoroughly to 73.9°C / 165°F, such as by steaming until hot throughout. Discard cakes left out beyond safe limits.

Practical

Practical guidance

Finding lá gai: Frozen ramie leaves from a Vietnamese grocer are the closest practical alternative to dried leaves. They still need cooking and pounding. Black sesame or charcoal can color dough but will not taste like lá gai. Dough hydration: The stated water is approximate. Leaf moisture and flour brands differ; the dough’s smooth, non-sticky texture is the endpoint. Filling: If the filling is too loose to roll, cook it a little longer, stirring, until it holds together. Let it cool fully before portioning. Leaf parcels: If a leaf cracks, soften it longer in hot water or use a second overlapping square. Keep each parcel compact so it steams evenly. Serving: Let the cake rest before peeling away the banana leaf. The wrapper should be soft and springy, not wet or pasty.

Troubleshooting

Dough cracks while wrapping: It may be too dry or not kneaded enough. Knead in warm water a teaspoon at a time until pliable. Dough sticks to hands: It may be too wet or warm. Knead in a little glutinous rice flour and let it cool briefly. Filling leaks: The filling may be warm or too soft, or the seam was not sealed. Cool it completely and pinch the dough closed all around. Cake is gummy inside: It may need more steaming or did not rest before unwrapping. Steam until glossy and firm, then wait at least 15 minutes before opening. Wrapper is tough: The dough may have been too dry, or the cakes may have steamed uncovered. Keep the lid on and add water gradually while kneading.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use frozen lá gai? Yes. Frozen ramie leaf is the closest substitute for dried lá gai. Thaw it, then cook and pound or blend it until smooth before kneading it into the dough. Can I make the cakes without banana leaves? Banana leaf gives the cakes their familiar aroma and helps form the parcel. If unavailable, a steamer-safe food-grade liner can keep the cakes together, but it will not reproduce the leaf fragrance or the traditional wrapping. Can I make these ahead? Yes. Steam the cakes, cool them, and refrigerate promptly in a covered container. Reheat them thoroughly by steaming until hot throughout; unwrap after reheating.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size1 cake
Caloriesabout 340 kcal
Carbohydrateabout 66 g
Proteinabout 6 g
Fatabout 8 g
Fibreabout 3 g
Sodiumabout 50 mg

Allergens and food safety

This recipe contains coconut. Glutinous rice is a type of sticky rice and does not mean the recipe contains wheat gluten; check the rice-flour package for cross-contact information. Check labels on vanilla and oil as well. Soak mung beans in the refrigerator when soaking for several hours. Keep cooked filling separate from raw ingredients and cool it promptly in a shallow dish. Refrigerate cooked cakes within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the temperature is above 32°C / 90°F, at or below 4°C / 40°F. Rice-based leftovers can support bacterial growth if left too long at room temperature. Use refrigerated cakes within 3–4 days and reheat to 73.9°C / 165°F. Discard food left outside safe limits.

A final note

Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Keep the parcels snug so they steam evenly.

Bánh ít nhân đậu xanh (Bình Định ramie-leaf cake with mung bean)

Practical

Ingredients

Ramie dough

Mung-bean filling

Wrapping

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Troubleshooting

Frequently asked questions

Nutrition per serving

Allergens and food safety

A final note

Vietnamese National Dishes

Phở gà (Vietnamese chicken noodle soup)

Xôi mặn (Saigon savory sticky rice)

Bánh mì heo quay Sài Gòn (Saigon roast pork bánh mì)