I have not come across anyone who doesn’t like pancakes, or crepes. Something so simplistic yet appealing. Banh Xeo made it even more alluring with the fresh herbs and lettuce used to wrap the crispy crepes. The trick is to get the crepes as thin as possible, and enjoy it immediately.
Some recipes calls for soda water in place of water. It promised an extra crisp by using soda water. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any that day, so I had to make do. I can’t rave enough on how much the husband and I enjoyed this meal the day I made it. It made it’s way up the top 10 favourite Kay list of food. It does take a little practise in making the crepes. I recommend pouring the batter on the side and swirl it around the pan to form the crepe. It may also be easier if you pan fry the toppings (onion, pork, and prawn) first and remove it. Swirl the batter to from crepe before spreading the topping on one side of the pan. That way, your crepe will not be too heavy when you fold it.
Here how to enjoy it: Take your lettuce, romaine or large butterhead. Tear out a little of you prepared banh xeo pancake with fillings, top it with some fresh herbs. Roll it up with your lettuce, and dip it in the dipping sauce. Say ahhh, and savour. Then quickly go back for more. 🙂
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Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Filled Crepes)
Ingredients
Batter
- 1/2 cup rice flour
- 1/4 cup corn flour
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 3/4 cup cold water
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 spring onion chopped
Topping
- 12 large prawns halved across
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 8 pork belly slices cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1/4 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Cooking oil
- Salt and pepper
Dipping sauce
- 6 tbsp warm water
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 clove garlic minced
- Chopped Thai chilli to taste optional
To Serve
- 8 Romaine lettuce
- Fresh mint leaves
- Fresh basil leaves
- Fresh cilantro
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add both flours, turmeric, curry powder, and salt together.
- While stirring, drizzle in cold water, and coconut milk.
- Whisk in egg, until you get a smooth batter.
- Set aside for 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Pancake
- Brush pan with oil over medium high heat.
- Add onion and stir-fry until soften, then add garlic, and pork.
- When pork is almost cooked, add 1/3 cup of the batter for an 28cm inch pan.
- Swirling to spread out the batter.
- Top with 6 slices of prawn, and 1/2 cup of bean sprouts on one side.
- Cover and cook for 2 minutes or until side crisp.
- After 2 minutes, fold into half, and press down.
- Serve with fresh herbs, lettuce, and dipping sauce.
Notes
Use Romaine lettuce as a wrap to hold the pancake, and herbs.
If using 26 inch pan, use 1/4 cup of batter Adapted from khas-kitchen
