Banh Xeo
Ingredients
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- 2 cups rice flour
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 13 1/2 ounces canned unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 cup scallion – thinly sliced (~2.5 n/a green onions)
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 6 tbsp water – warm
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp lime juice – freshly squeezed
- 1 clove garlic – minced
- 1 chile Thai bird's eye – thinly sliced
- 8 ounces pork belly – thinly sliced
- 12 ounces shrimp – peeled and deveined (~27 Large shrimps)
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup onion – thinly sliced (~1 medium onion)
- 4 cups bean sprout
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil – neutral
- butter lettuce leaves – for serving
- mint – for serving
- cilantro – for serving
- Thai basil – for serving
- perilla leaves – for serving
Instructions
1. Whisk the rice flour, ground turmeric, and salt in a large bowl. Add the canned unsweetened coconut milk and 1.5 cups water, whisking until smooth and pourable; stir in the sliced scallions. Let the batter rest 30 minutes to fully hydrate.
2. Make the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar in the warm water. Stir in the fish sauce and lime juice, then add the minced garlic and sliced Thai chile; set aside.
3. Toss the pork belly and shrimp with the ground black pepper until evenly seasoned.
4. Heat 2 tsp vegetable oil in a well-seasoned 10–12 inch nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add a small portion of pork belly and some sliced onion; sauté until lightly browned, 1–2 minutes. Add a few shrimp and cook until just opaque, 30–60 seconds.
5. Stir the batter, then ladle in just enough to thinly coat the pan, swirling to create a lacy edge. Scatter a generous handful of bean sprouts over the surface. Cover and cook 2–3 minutes, until the sprouts wilt and the batter sets on top.
6. Uncover and continue cooking until the underside is deeply golden and the edges are crisp and lacy, 3–5 minutes. Fold the crepe in half and slide onto a plate.
7. Repeat steps 4–6 with the remaining batter and fillings, adding more to the pan as needed and adjusting the heat to keep the crepe sizzling without burning.
8. Arrange the butter lettuce leaves, fresh mint, fresh cilantro, Thai basil, and perilla on a platter for serving. Serve the hot crepes immediately with bowls of the dipping sauce for dipping and wrapping.
Banh Xeo is a Vietnamese savory crepe known for its crackling, lacy edges and sunny hue from turmeric. The batter—light, coconut-scented, and rice-flour based—fries into a wafer-thin shell that stays crisp while cradling juicy pork, sweet shrimp, tender onion, and a fresh tumble of bean sprouts. Each bite is meant to be wrapped in cool lettuce with a bouquet of herbs and dipped into a bright, garlicky nuoc cham, balancing richness with freshness.
The dish’s name translates to “sizzling cake,” a nod to the sound the batter makes as it hits a hot, well-oiled pan. Popularized in southern Vietnam, especially around Saigon, it’s a street-side and market staple with countless local expressions. While fillings and batter tweaks vary by region and family, the ritual—tearing off shards, bundling them with herbs, and dunking into fish-sauce dip—remains a beloved marker of convivial Vietnamese dining.