The bánh xèo is a crispy and golden Vietnamese crêpe, whose name literally means ‘sizzling cake’, referring to the sound it makes when the batter is poured into the hot pan.
This dish is particularly common in southern Vietnam and is typically made of a gluten-free batter made with rice flour and turmeric and stuffed with pork, shrimp, bean sprouts, and scallions, served with fresh herbs such as lettuce, mint, Thai basil, or cilantro (I served it with morning glory), and a sweet and sour sauce called nước chấm.
Bánh xèo is a traditional street food in Vietnam. The working class primarily consumed it because it was cheap and easy to prepare.
In the video recipe, you will find a version with spirulina.
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups rice flour
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- as needed turmeric
- 2 1/2 cups water (or coconut milk or a mix of both)
- 2 scallions
- as needed salt
- 7 oz pork belly (thinly sliced)
- 7 oz shrimp
- 3.5 oz bean sprouts
- 1 onion
- as needed vegetable oil
Steps
In a bowl, mix the rice flour, cornstarch, turmeric, and salt. Gradually add the water and coconut milk, stirring until you get a smooth batter. Incorporate the chopped scallions. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
In a pan, heat a little oil and sauté the pork belly until it is slightly crispy. Add the shrimp and onion, cooking until the shrimp turn pink. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Clean the pan and add a little oil. Pour a ladle of batter into the hot pan, swirling it to evenly coat the bottom with a thin layer. Cook over medium-high heat until the edges start to brown.
Spread a portion of the filling and the bean sprouts on half of the crêpe. Cover with a lid and cook for 2–3 minutes, until the crêpe is crispy and the filling is hot.Fold the crêpe in half and transfer it to a plate. Serve with lettuce leaves, fresh herbs, and nước chấm sauce.
Popular Variants:
The bánh xèo in Miền Trung style (Central Vietnam) tends to be smaller, about the size of a hand. Compared to the Miền Tây version, the Miền Trung version has fewer fillings. The fillings include shrimp, shrimp paste, thin slices of pork, and bean sprouts.
This version may be darker or not as yellow as other variants due to the addition of fermented shrimp paste, which adds a distinct flavor and color to the dish.
The bánh xèo in Miền Tây style (Mekong Delta) tends to be larger than the Miền Trung version, usually the size of a small or medium pizza, about 12 inches in diameter. However, they are generally thinner.
Miền Tây offers a more diverse range of ingredients and fillings. For this reason, the color of bánh xèo is usually more vibrant, as the turmeric and coconut milk batter creates a colorful yellow dish.
The fillings include shrimp, pork belly, scallions, fried onions, and bean sprouts.
The fillings include shrimp, pork belly, scallions, fried onions, and bean sprouts.
The bánh khoái is a type of crispy pancake made with a batter of rice flour, water, and egg yolks.
It is typically stuffed with shrimp, pork, and bean sprouts and is shaped like a half-moon.
The batter is poured into a hot pan and cooked until golden brown. Bánh khoái is often served with fresh herbs and a sauce.
The origin of the name “Bánh khoái” has various explanations. Some believe the original name was “bánh khói”.
Huế is famous for its bánh khoái Thượng Tứ, which is located southeast of the city’s Citadel.
Huế is famous for its bánh khoái Thượng Tứ, which is located southeast of the city’s Citadel.
The dish is also popular in Cambodia, where the dish is called banh chao (Khmer: បាញ់ឆាវ).
There is also a Thai version of bánh xèo called Khanom bueang Yuan (in Thai: ขนมเบื้องญวน). It is offered by some street vendors and is available in many Bangkok restaurants serving Thai or royal cuisine.
The most common filling in Thailand is a chopped mixture of grated coconut, roasted peanuts, shrimp, salted radishes, and fried tofu, served with bean sprouts and sweet cucumber sauce.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
How to prepare the sauce
The nước chấm sauce is essential to accompany bánh xèo.
You can prepare it by mixing fish sauce, water, sugar, lime juice, minced garlic, and chili to taste.
Traditionally, bánh xèo is eaten wrapped in lettuce leaves with fresh herbs and dipped in the sauce.
