# Bánh bột lọc: Huế's see-through shrimp dumplings

> Bánh bột lọc are chewy, translucent tapioca dumplings filled with shrimp and pork belly. In Huế they come wrapped in banana leaf (bánh bột lọc lá) or bare (bánh bột lọc trần), dipped in sweet chilli fish sauce. A plate usually costs 20,000–40,000 VND. Order with “Cho tôi một đĩa bánh bột lọc”.

- URL: https://eatgreenvietnam.com/guides/banh-bot-loc-hue
- Region: Central Vietnam · City: Hue
- Published: 2026-09-29 · Last updated: 2026-09-30
- By: the Eat Green Vietnam team (https://eatgreenvietnam.com/about)

Hold one up to the light and you can see the pink shrimp inside. That see-through wrapper is tapioca starch, and it’s wonderfully chewy.

## At a glance

- **What it is:** Tapioca-starch dumplings with shrimp and pork, steamed in banana leaves or boiled bare.
- **Where:** Huế and Central Vietnam; also common in Saigon.
- **Typical price:** Around 20,000–40,000 VND a plate.
- **Eat green:** The leaf-wrapped version comes in nature’s own packaging – banana leaf. Choose it when you can.

## How to order

> “Cho tôi một đĩa bánh bột lọc.”

One plate of bánh bột lọc. Say **bánh bột lọc lá** for the leaf-wrapped kind or **trần** for bare dumplings.

## How to eat it

Unwrap the banana leaf, dip the dumpling in the fish sauce and eat it in one or two bites. The sauce is usually sweet, garlicky and hot.

## When to go

Any time as a snack. Many Huế cake shops open from mid-morning into the evening.

## Questions travellers ask

### What is bánh bột lọc made of?

Tapioca starch, with a filling of shrimp and pork belly.

### How much does bánh bột lọc cost?

Around 20,000–40,000 VND a plate.

### Is bánh bột lọc gluten-free?

The wrapper is made from tapioca, but sauces and fillings vary – ask if you have a strict allergy.

### What does ‘trần’ mean?

Bare – dumplings cooked without the banana-leaf wrapper.

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Photo: Amenoc / Wikimedia Commons (CC0) – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Transluent_ravioli_in_Hanoi.jpg
Source: Eat Green Vietnam, https://eatgreenvietnam.com/guides/banh-bot-loc-hue. Prices are typical ranges and change often. You may quote and summarise with attribution and a link to the original page.