Vietnamese Pancake (Banh Xeo)

 

Bánh Xèo are Vietnamese crêpe-type pancakes made out of rice flour and coconut milk(optional), and are pan-fried and stuffed with slivers of fatty pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts. Served wrapped with lettuce leaves and stuffed with mint (optional) and other herbs, and dipped in nuoc mam.

Ingredients: For batter
1 PackageVietnamese pancake ready mix
31/2 cup water
1cup coconut milk
½ cup chopped green onion
For filling:
500gram raw shrimp peel or leave whole
500gram pork thinly sliced
500gram bean sprouts
7oz peeled split mung beans , soaked in warm water ,steamed or microwaved
For cooking:
Cooking oil or pork fat
1 Pancake pan


Accompaniments:

1 head of butter or grean leaf lettuce
vietnamese herbs : basil, Spearmint, fish mint, Vietnamese Perilla …
vietnamese greens: there are over 24 kinds of greens to be served with banh xeo : mustard leaves, Wild Betal Leaf, mango leaf, fig leaf, …
1 cup of mixed fish sauce pickled daikon and carrot.

Method

The batter:

To make the pancake batter, in a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, turmeric, coconut milk, water, 2 tablespoons oil, and chopped green onion until well combined. Allow the batter to rest for 30 minutes.

The filling:

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a wok or skillet over high heat and stir-fry the pork for 3 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until opaque, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the bean sprouts and cook until just translucent but still firm, about 1 minute. Transfer to a platter and set aside.

Greens and herbs:

Arrange the salad ingredients in separate piles on a platter and set aside.
Frying pancake:

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. While tilting the pan add 1/4 cup of the batter, swirling the pan at the same time to evenly distribute the batter.

Once the crepe starts to bubble gently in the center and loosen itself at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Scatter a handful of bean sprouts( mushrooms…), 2-3 pieces of pork and 2 shrimps on the lower half of the pancake. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan.

Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the pancake golden browns and turns crispy. Fold the pancake in half and slide onto a platter. Continue making banh xeo as you serve them. Serve with table salad and herbs, and mixed fish sauce on the sides.

*Bean sprouts: can be alternated with turnip, mushroom….
* Pork and shrimp: can be alternated with duck meat, clams meat,…
* There are may kinds of herbs and greens served with banh xeo ,which only found in the countryside of Vietnam , so if you want to enjoy the real banh xeo come to vietnam .i will treat you then