Vietnamese banh xeo

This crunchy, crispy pancake bánh xèo is a crowd-pleaser that deserves to share the Vietnamese food spotlight with pho.

Vietnamese Banh Xeo Credit: Intrepid

• serves

  6

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

This authentic recipe is enjoyed all over the country, but is thought to have originated in Central Vietnam. Let everyone garnish their own freshly cooked pancake to suit their tastes. 

Ingredients

Bánh xèo

• 1¼ cups rice flour
• 2 tbsp cornflour, optional
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 spring onions, chopped
• 400 ml coconut cream
• ¼ cup water or beer to thin
• 6-8 slices fatty pork belly, thinly sliced
• 16 cooked prawns, peeled
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• ½ cup pea tendrils
• 3 carrots, peeled and julienned
• 1 bunch Vietnamese mint 
• 1 bunch coriander
• 1 lime
• 1-2 green leaf lettuce

Nuoc nam sauce

• ½ cup warm water
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup fish sauce
• ⅓ cup lime juice
• 2 tsp garlic chopped
• 2 red chilli, chopped

Instructions

Bánh xèo

Combine rice flour, cornflour, turmeric, salt, green onions, coconut milk and 1 cup water in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Heat a 20 cm non-stick frypan over med-high heat. Add 3 prawns and 4 strips of pork. Cook for 3 minutes. Add 1 tbsp sunflower oil and add a ladle of batter to the pan, swirling to coat base and slightly up sides of the pan. Cook with lid on for 5 minutes or until crispy and golden on the base. Scatter with bean sprouts, carrot, pea tendrils, and herbs. Fold to enclose. Repeat with extra batter and ingredients.

Nuoc nam sauce

Combine all ingredients for nuoc nam in a bowl, stirring well.

Serve the bánh xèo with nuoc nam and chilli sauce (optional) and a squeeze of lime.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

This authentic recipe is enjoyed all over the country, but is thought to have originated in Central Vietnam. Let everyone garnish their own freshly cooked pancake to suit their tastes.