Bánh Xèo
Bánh Xèo is a savoury Vietnamese crepe - thin, lacy and shatteringly crisp - made from rice flour, turmeric and coconut milk. It is filled with prawns, pork, bean sprouts and spring onions, then served with fresh herbs, lettuce leaves and nuoc cham. You eat it by wrapping it in the leaves and dipping it in the sauce. Light, crunchy and fragrant all at once.
Ingredients
- 190 g flour
- 75 g rice flour
- 8 g cornstarch
- 4 g turmeric
- 1 pinch salt
- 250 g beer
- 200 g coconut milk
- 50 g water
- Pork
- Prawns
- Spring onions
- Onion
- Bean sprouts
- Nuoc Cham sauce
Method
- Mix the flours, turmeric and cornstarch together. Then add the liquids: beer, coconut milk and water. The batter should not be too thick. If you find while cooking that it is too thick, add a splash more water.Then let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Get the rest of your ingredients ready: slice the pork thinly and slice the onions.
- Bring some water to the boil and drop the pork slices in to part-cook them.
- Heat a little oil in a pan.
- Add a little onion, 2-3 slices of pork and 2 prawns. Let the onion caramelise a little.
- Add a ladle to a ladle and a half of batter. Tilt the pan so the batter covers the whole surface in an even layer. High heat.The crepe should not be sticking at this point.
- Turn the heat down to medium. Scatter the bean sprouts over one half only (you will be folding it over).
- Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Take the lid off and carry on cooking over medium heat.
- Serve.
