Easy Banh Xeo - Crispy Vietnamese Crepes

Plate of crispy Vietnamese pancakes and fresh herbs.

Easy Banh Xeo - Crispy Vietnamese Crepes

Meet Banh Xeo, crispy Vietnamese crepes like an omelette and pancake rolled into one. Named for the sizzling sound they make when cooking in a hot pan, these savoury bites are the perfect filler for rice paper rolls.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Snack

Cuisine Vietnamese

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings banh xeo

Calories 211kcal

Author Wandercooks

Cost $10

Equipment

Small fry pan

Ingredients

For the Marinade

200 g pork or chicken or shrimp / prawns sliced thin, or use ground / minced meat
2 shallots finely chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 tsp turmeric powder

For the Batter

1 cup rice flour
1 ½ cups water sub with coconut milk or water
1 egg
1 spring onion / green onion finely sliced
2 tsp tumeric powder
Salt and pepper to taste

To Garnish and Serve

6 Rice paper sheets
100 g fresh cilantro / coriander fresh
100 g fresh mint leaves fresh
100 g bean sprouts and / or steamed mung beans
2 tbsp vegetable oil and oil brush

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Place the chicken, pork or shrimp / prawns into a bowl with the shallots, garlic and turmeric powder. Mix well to combine. Allow to marinate for 5 mins.
200 g pork or chicken or shrimp / prawns, 2 shallots, 1 clove garlic, 1 tsp turmeric powder
Add the rice flour, turmeric powder, salt and pepper, egg and water to a bowl and mix to form a batter. Sprinkle in the spring onion and give it another quick mix.
1 cup rice flour, 1 ½ cups water, 1 egg, 1 spring onion / green onion, 2 tsp tumeric powder, Salt and pepper
Use an oil brush to coat the vegetable oil in a small frying pan over high heat. Pour in your marinated meat and cook for a minute or two on each side until par-cooked. Remove from the pan.
Re-oil the pan with your oil brush, place a small amount of the par-cooked meat evenly across the pan, then pour over one ladle of to fill the pan. Swirl the batter around to fill any holes and neaten the edges.
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Add a handful of bean sprouts / mung beans to one half of your crepe. Then use your oil brush again to coat more vegetable oil around the outside edges of the crepe for the ultimate crispiness!
100 g bean sprouts
Next, cover with a lid for 1 min to steam the bean sprouts and cook the meat through.
Remove the lid and allow to cook for another minute or two until the base starts to brown. Next, using a spatula, fold the banh xeo in half and serve!
Repeat by brushing the oil onto the pan again and cooking the remaining banh xeo.
Optional: Make into a rice paper roll. Dip your rice paper into a bowl of lukewarm water, then place on a large plate. Layer with herbs such as mint and cilantro / coriander, then place a piece or your whole banh xeo on top. Fold over the bottom, then edges and roll up tightly to the top.
6 Rice paper sheets, 100 g fresh cilantro / coriander, 100 g fresh mint leaves
Serve with your favourite dipping sauces such as nuoc mam cham, peanut hoisin or even Thai nam jim jaew.

Video

Notes

Prep First - If you're eating them with rice paper rolls, prep all the other ingredients first, so the pancakes are still nice and warm.
Stir Before You Pour - Always give your batter a stir before pouring as the rice flour tends to settle on the bottom.
Using shrimp or prawns? No need to pre-cook them as they'll only need a few minutes in the pan to be cooked through.
Hot Pan - Make sure the pan is super hot to get that ultra crispy texture on your banh xeo. The rice flour is also what helps to give you those crispy edges. If it starts to burn too quick, just lower the temperature to a medium-high and cook it for longer.
Replace The Water - for a slightly different taste and version of this popular pancake, swap the water for coconut milk or coconut water.
Pre-mix Banh Xeo Flour - You can buy pre-mixed banh xeo flour which includes some all purpose flour (wheat based flour), but we think it's easiest just to use regular rice flour.

Adapted from Tra Que Water Wheel

Nutrition