Banh Xeo (Bánh Xèo) – Crispy, Sizzling Vietnamese Crepes
Irresistibly crispy, these addictive Vietnamese rice crepes or Banh Xeo are packed with shrimp, ground chicken, mung beans and bean sprouts. Perfect for brunch!
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 460kcal
Equipment
- 8 inch nonstick frying pan
Ingredients
Batter
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup rice flour
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 cups warm water
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 3 scallions thinly sliced
- 3 teaspoon vegetable oil for frying
Filling
- ½ pound shrimp peeled, deveined and sliced in half lengthwise
- ½ pound ground chicken
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 3 tablespoon mung beans soaked and bolied
Salad and herb accompaniment
- 1 head lettuce e.g., butter, Boston or iceberg
- 6 basil leaves
- 6 mint leaves
- 3 cilantro stems with leaves cut into 3 inch sections
Dipping Sauce
- 2 cups Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce) divided into six dipping bowls (⅓ cup each)
Instructions
Prepare the batter
- Whisk the dry ingredients - all purpose flour, rice flour, turmeric, salt and sugar in a large bowl to ensure even distribution. Add the water and coconut milk. Mix well. Add the scallions and mix. Let the batter rest in the fridge for at least a half hour to overnight.
Prep the lettuce leaves, herbs and dipping sauce
- Wash and dry the lettuce leaves and fresh herbs. Arrange on a serving platter. Pour the dipping sauce into individual serving bowls.
Cook the Banh Xeo
- Divide the sliced onions, ground chicken, shrimp into six equal portions. Heat an eight-inch nonstick skillet on medium to medium high heat. Add half a teaspoon of oil and fry one portion of the sliced onions, chicken and shrimp -about 2-3 minutes. Evenly arrange the cooked onions, chicken and shrimp into a semi-circle on one side of the pan.
- Add a third of a cup of crepe batter to the hot pan and swirl in a circular motion. Cover the entire bottom of the pan with a thin layer of batter. Add some bean sprouts and mung beans on top and cover the pan until the bean sprouts just begin to wilt (about 1-2 minutes).
- Remove the lid and add half a teaspoon of oil around the edge of the crepe. When the edges are crisp and the crepe is cooked to a crispy golden yellow, fold half of the crepe over and slide onto a plate. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
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- Correct batter consistency – when poured from a spoon, the batter should look a little thicker than heavy cream. The perfect batter flows smoothly across the pan. If it moves slowly like ketchup it is too thick – just adjust the flour to water ratio until you get the right consistency.
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- Rest the batter - Resting the batter for at least 30 minutes helps the gluten to relax and the starch grains to swells - creating a really nice finish on the pancake.
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- Avoid excess condensation – if you keep the lid on for too long the condensation can drip back into the pan adding steam which kills the crispiness of the Banh Xeo.
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- Use sufficient oil – sometimes the batter will stick and not crisp up if there is too little oil. This is generally an issue if you are using an older non-stick pan or an unseasoned metal pan. The batter can also sometimes stick because it is too thin.
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- Watch the coconut milk – the fat content of coconut milk can vary depending on the source, the extent to which fat in the milk settled etc. Too much fat can make the crepes buttery which will prevent it from crisping. In that case reduce adjust the recipe adding a little more flour and water.
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- Pan temperature – a low temperature will lead to soft crepes.
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- Pan quality – some pans simply fail and sometimes using a different pan is all you need to do.