Bánh Xèo (Crispy Vietnamese Pancakes)
Bánh Xèo (Crispy Vietnamese Pancakes)
Ingredients
For the Batter
- 2 cups rice flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca starch, or cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups carbonated cold water, or light beer
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced, green parts only
- as needed neutral oil, for frying
For the Protein
- 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 pound pork belly, or thinly sliced pork shoulder
- as needed salt, to taste
- as needed black pepper, to taste
For the Fillings & Serving
- 3 cups bean sprouts
- as needed lettuce leaves, for wrapping
- as needed fresh herbs, such as mint, cilantro, perilla
- as needed cucumbers, sliced
- as needed pickled carrots, (đồ chua)
For the Nuoc Cham
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Thai chilies, sliced
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Nuoc Cham: In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, water, minced garlic, and sliced Thai chilies until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Prepare the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the rice flour, tapioca starch, turmeric powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Gradually add the carbonated cold water and coconut milk, whisking until the batter is smooth and free of lumps. Stir in the thinly sliced green onions. Let the batter rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Cook the protein: Season the shrimp and pork belly (or pork shoulder) with salt and black pepper to taste. Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Sear the pork belly until it is lightly golden, then remove it from the pan and set aside. Sear the shrimp until it is just cooked through, then remove it from the pan and set aside. You may need to add a little neutral oil to the pan for this step.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Start the bánh xèo: Heat a clean nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of neutral oil. Once the oil is shimmering, pour a thin layer of batter into the pan, swirling quickly to spread it evenly across the bottom. Immediately reduce the heat to medium.
⏱️ 1 min
- 5
Build and steam: Quickly arrange some of the pre-cooked pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts onto one half of the bánh xèo in the pan. Cover the pan with a lid and let it steam for 2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Crisp the pancake: Uncover the pan. Pour 2 tablespoons of neutral oil around the edges of the bánh xèo. Tilt and swirl the pan to ensure the oil runs underneath the pancake. Continue to cook until the edges are golden and lacy, and the bottom is deeply crispy. Once crispy, use a spatula to fold the bánh xèo in half.
⏱️ 3 min
- 7
Repeat: Transfer the cooked bánh xèo to a serving platter. Repeat steps 4-6 for the remaining batter and fillings, starting each new pancake on medium-high heat before reducing to medium.
⏱️ 15 min
- 8
Serve: Serve the hot bánh xèo immediately with lettuce leaves, fresh herbs, sliced cucumbers, and pickled carrots for wrapping, and the prepared Nuoc Cham for dipping.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Bánh Xèo (Crispy Vietnamese Pancakes)
For the Batter
- 2 cups rice flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca starch, or cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups carbonated cold water, or light beer
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced, green parts only
- as needed neutral oil, for frying
For the Protein
- 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 pound pork belly, or thinly sliced pork shoulder
- as needed salt, to taste
- as needed black pepper, to taste
For the Fillings & Serving
- 3 cups bean sprouts
- as needed lettuce leaves, for wrapping
- as needed fresh herbs, such as mint, cilantro, perilla
- as needed cucumbers, sliced
- as needed pickled carrots, (đồ chua)
For the Nuoc Cham
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Thai chilies, sliced
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Nuoc Cham: In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, water, minced garlic, and sliced Thai chilies until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Prepare the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the rice flour, tapioca starch, turmeric powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Gradually add the carbonated cold water and coconut milk, whisking until the batter is smooth and free of lumps. Stir in the thinly sliced green onions. Let the batter rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Cook the protein: Season the shrimp and pork belly (or pork shoulder) with salt and black pepper to taste. Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Sear the pork belly until it is lightly golden, then remove it from the pan and set aside. Sear the shrimp until it is just cooked through, then remove it from the pan and set aside. You may need to add a little neutral oil to the pan for this step.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Start the bánh xèo: Heat a clean nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of neutral oil. Once the oil is shimmering, pour a thin layer of batter into the pan, swirling quickly to spread it evenly across the bottom. Immediately reduce the heat to medium.
⏱️ 1 min - 5
Build and steam: Quickly arrange some of the pre-cooked pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts onto one half of the bánh xèo in the pan. Cover the pan with a lid and let it steam for 2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Crisp the pancake: Uncover the pan. Pour 2 tablespoons of neutral oil around the edges of the bánh xèo. Tilt and swirl the pan to ensure the oil runs underneath the pancake. Continue to cook until the edges are golden and lacy, and the bottom is deeply crispy. Once crispy, use a spatula to fold the bánh xèo in half.
⏱️ 3 min - 7
Repeat: Transfer the cooked bánh xèo to a serving platter. Repeat steps 4-6 for the remaining batter and fillings, starting each new pancake on medium-high heat before reducing to medium.
⏱️ 15 min - 8
Serve: Serve the hot bánh xèo immediately with lettuce leaves, fresh herbs, sliced cucumbers, and pickled carrots for wrapping, and the prepared Nuoc Cham for dipping.
⏱️ 2 min