Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Sizzling Crepes)
Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Sizzling Crepes)
Ingredients
For the Bánh Xèo Batter
- 1 3/4 cups rice flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup cold beer
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup scallion tops, thinly sliced
For the Fillings
- 1/2 pound pork belly, sliced thin
- 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 1 white onion, sliced thin
- 1/4 cup cooking oil, plus more as needed
For the Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red chilies, finely chopped (like bird's eye chilies)
For Serving
- 1 head lettuce leaves, separated
- 1/2 cup fresh mint
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Bánh Xèo Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the rice flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Gradually add 3 1/2 cups of water, whisking continuously until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Stir in the turmeric, coconut milk, cold beer, kosher salt, sugar, and thinly sliced scallion tops. Whisk well to combine all ingredients. The beer helps create a light and crispy crepe.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Rest the batter: Cover the bowl and let the batter rest at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes. This allows the flours to hydrate and the flavors to meld, contributing to a better texture.
⏱️ 45 min
- 4
Prepare the Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce: While the batter rests, combine fish sauce, water, granulated sugar, lime juice, minced garlic, and chopped red chilies in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Prepare the fillings: Have your sliced pork belly, peeled shrimp, bean sprouts, and sliced white onion ready and within reach of your cooking station.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Cook the Bánh Xèo: Heat a medium-sized non-stick pan over medium heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan, ensuring it's hot and glossy before proceeding.
⏱️ 2 min
- 7
Add a small portion of sliced pork belly and shrimp to the hot pan. Quickly stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until they are partially cooked.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Give the rested batter a quick stir. Ladle about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of batter into the pan over the pork and shrimp. Immediately swirl the pan to spread the batter thinly and evenly across the bottom, forming a crepe.
⏱️ 1 min
- 9
Drizzle a little extra cooking oil around the edges of the crepe in the pan. Add a handful of bean sprouts and a few slices of white onion on top of the batter.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
Cover the pan with a lid briefly (1-2 minutes) to steam the fillings and help the crepe cook through. This also helps the bean sprouts and onions soften slightly.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Remove the lid. Continue cooking uncovered for another 3-5 minutes, or until the underside of the crepe is perfectly golden brown and crisp. You may need to adjust heat to prevent burning.
⏱️ 5 min
- 12
Once crisp, use a spatula to carefully fold the crepe in half. Transfer the cooked Bánh Xèo to a serving plate. Repeat steps 6-12 with the remaining batter and fillings, adding more oil to the pan as needed for each crepe.
⏱️ 20 min
- 13
Serve the hot Bánh Xèo immediately with fresh lettuce leaves, mint, cilantro, and the prepared Nuoc Cham dipping sauce. To eat, tear a piece of the crepe, wrap it in a lettuce leaf with herbs, and dip into the sauce.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Sizzling Crepes)
For the Bánh Xèo Batter
- 1 3/4 cups rice flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup cold beer
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup scallion tops, thinly sliced
For the Fillings
- 1/2 pound pork belly, sliced thin
- 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 1 white onion, sliced thin
- 1/4 cup cooking oil, plus more as needed
For the Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red chilies, finely chopped (like bird's eye chilies)
For Serving
- 1 head lettuce leaves, separated
- 1/2 cup fresh mint
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Bánh Xèo Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the rice flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Gradually add 3 1/2 cups of water, whisking continuously until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Stir in the turmeric, coconut milk, cold beer, kosher salt, sugar, and thinly sliced scallion tops. Whisk well to combine all ingredients. The beer helps create a light and crispy crepe.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Rest the batter: Cover the bowl and let the batter rest at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes. This allows the flours to hydrate and the flavors to meld, contributing to a better texture.
⏱️ 45 min - 4
Prepare the Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce: While the batter rests, combine fish sauce, water, granulated sugar, lime juice, minced garlic, and chopped red chilies in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Prepare the fillings: Have your sliced pork belly, peeled shrimp, bean sprouts, and sliced white onion ready and within reach of your cooking station.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Cook the Bánh Xèo: Heat a medium-sized non-stick pan over medium heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan, ensuring it's hot and glossy before proceeding.
⏱️ 2 min - 7
Add a small portion of sliced pork belly and shrimp to the hot pan. Quickly stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until they are partially cooked.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Give the rested batter a quick stir. Ladle about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of batter into the pan over the pork and shrimp. Immediately swirl the pan to spread the batter thinly and evenly across the bottom, forming a crepe.
⏱️ 1 min - 9
Drizzle a little extra cooking oil around the edges of the crepe in the pan. Add a handful of bean sprouts and a few slices of white onion on top of the batter.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
Cover the pan with a lid briefly (1-2 minutes) to steam the fillings and help the crepe cook through. This also helps the bean sprouts and onions soften slightly.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Remove the lid. Continue cooking uncovered for another 3-5 minutes, or until the underside of the crepe is perfectly golden brown and crisp. You may need to adjust heat to prevent burning.
⏱️ 5 min - 12
Once crisp, use a spatula to carefully fold the crepe in half. Transfer the cooked Bánh Xèo to a serving plate. Repeat steps 6-12 with the remaining batter and fillings, adding more oil to the pan as needed for each crepe.
⏱️ 20 min - 13
Serve the hot Bánh Xèo immediately with fresh lettuce leaves, mint, cilantro, and the prepared Nuoc Cham dipping sauce. To eat, tear a piece of the crepe, wrap it in a lettuce leaf with herbs, and dip into the sauce.
⏱️ 5 min