Bánh xèo

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Whisk the batter ingredients in a bowl until completely smooth: rice flour, cornstarch, turmeric, salt, coconut milk, and water. Stir in the sliced spring onions. Let the batter stand for 10 minutes while you prepare the filling; this short rest helps the flour hydrate so the crêpes cook more evenly and crisp better.

2. 2

   Make the nuoc cham by stirring together the fish sauce, lime juice, warm water, sugar, minced garlic, and sliced chili until the sugar dissolves. Taste it: it should be balanced between salty, sour, sweet, and sharp. Set aside.

3. 3

   Season the pork belly and shrimp with the 1/4 tsp salt and black pepper. Heat a large nonstick or well-seasoned frying pan over medium-high heat until hot, then add 1 tbsp neutral oil. Add half the onion and cook for 30 seconds, then add half the pork belly and half the shrimp. Stir-fry until the pork is just cooked and the shrimp have turned pink, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining oil, onion, pork, and shrimp for the second crêpe.

4. 4

   Return the pan to medium-high heat. Stir the batter well before each crêpe, as the flour settles quickly. Pour in half the batter and immediately swirl to coat the pan in a thin layer. Cook for 1 minute until the edges begin to set and the underside turns golden.

5. 5

   Spread half the cooked pork-shrimp mixture over one side of the crêpe and add half the bean sprouts. Cover loosely with a lid for 1 minute to steam the sprouts lightly, then uncover and cook another 2 to 3 minutes until the bottom is deeply crisp. Fold the crêpe in half. It is ready when it sounds crackly as you move the pan and the edge is brittle and golden. Slide onto a plate.

6. 6

   Make the second bánh xèo the same way with the remaining batter, filling, and bean sprouts. Keep the heat fairly high so the batter sizzles on contact; lower heat will make the crêpe pale and soft instead of crisp.

7. 7

   Serve immediately with lettuce, mint, cilantro, lime wedges, and the nuoc cham. To eat, tear off a piece of bánh xèo, wrap it in lettuce with herbs, and dip into the sauce.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •Use a large nonstick or very well-seasoned pan; crisp bánh xèo depends more on high heat and a reliable surface than on a thick batter.
• •Stir the batter every time before pouring because rice flour and turmeric settle quickly.
• •If your pork belly is not very fatty, add an extra teaspoon of oil to the pan before pouring the batter.
• •Bean sprouts should stay a little fresh and juicy; avoid overcooking them or the crêpe can turn soggy.
• •A few Vietnamese herbs such as perilla or mustard leaf are excellent additions if available.

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