Bánh Xèo

Feeds 3 - 4 people
Prep time 15m
Cook time 20m

Description

Bánh xèo is a crispy rice flour pancake from Vietnam. Its yellow colour comes from turmeric, and here it’s filled with prawns, beansprouts and plenty of fresh herbs. Use lettuce leaves to wrap pieces of the pancake and dip them into the dipping sauce, called nuoc cham.

It’s important to have the frying pan very hot to get a lacy texture and crisp bottom on the pancakes. You could vary the fillings, using different varieties of prawns, or adding pieces of cooked pork belly.

Ingredients

150g rice flour
300ml coconut milk
6 spring onions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
150g beansprouts
2 banana shallots, thinly sliced
300g vannamei prawns, cut into large pieces
Large bunch mint, leaves picked
Large bunch coriander
5 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 birds eye chillies, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Squeeze of lime juice
2 baby cucumbers, sliced
1 lettuce, leaves separated
Oil for cooking

Method

Combine the fish sauce, caster sugar, birds eye chillies, garlic, lime juice and a splash of water. Mix well and set aside.
Combine the rice flour, coconut milk, 400ml water, 2 sliced spring onions and turmeric with a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar. Mix well.
Place a small non-stick frying pan over high heat. When it’s really hot, add a splash of oil and fry a few pieces of shallot and the prawns briefly, until the prawns turn pink.
Add a small ladleful of batter and add a few bean sprouts on top. Cook for a couple of minutes, until golden and crisp on the bottom. If the pancake doesn’t look lacy in appearance, the pan isn’t hot enough.
Fold each pancake onto a plate and serve with the herbs, cucumber, lettuce and dipping sauce.

Bánh Xèo

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