Rice Sheets (Sha He Fen)

Traditionally, silky rice sheets are served as an appetizer, for breakfast, or even as a main meal. The Chinese version of the rice sheet is called Sha He Fen served in many dim sum restaurants as a brunch, filled with shrimp or pork or even stir-fried like chow fun dishes. The best rice sheets or (Banh Uot – in Vietnamese) are made using a steam method. For this method, the cook needs to practice removing the rice sheets when cooked from the steam pot; it takes talent to perform this task and is fun entertaining a crowd. The easier method is Chinese Sha He Fen, which is made in a steamer with a thin layer of rice flour batter poured into a baking pan and steamed over high heat. I found the easiest way to make these rice sheets is using a nonstick sauté pan or crepe pan; a store-bought Vietnamese sausage will complete this meal in minutes.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup potato starch*
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Directions:

Whisk all the ingredients together for a few hours or overnight. When ready to make a rice sheet, measure the quantity of water removed from above the settled rice mixture and replace with the same quantity of hot water.

Spray oil onto a large baking sheet and set next to the stove, along with a small bowl of oil and a brush.

Brush an 8-inch nonstick pan with oil over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir the batter very well each time before using the batter. Pour 3 tbs of batter (or 1/4 cup if using this sheet for making chow fun) into the pan; tilt the pan and swirl to distribute the batter evenly.

 Cover the pan with lid and let steam for 5 minutes or until the rice sheet looks bubbly and shiny. Carefully remove the lid to prevent the condensation beneath it from dripping onto the rice sheet. Loosen the edge of the rice sheet by using the tip of a spatula; slide the sheet onto the prepared oiled baking sheet. Allow the rice sheet to cool slightly before coating both sides of the rice sheet with more oil. Transfer the oiled rice sheet to another place.

Continue making the rice sheets, whisking the batter each time before adding the batter to the pan. Also, allow the rice sheets to cool slightly before stacking them; otherwise, they will stick together. Rice sheets can be prepared the same day and covered with plastic wrap and kept at room temperature before serving.

Banh Uot  with Vietnamese sausages

*The rice sheet taste a little more chewiness if in crease amount of rice flour and tapioca flour as follow:
2/3 cup rice flour
1/3 cup tapioca starch