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Vietnamese Pancakes

Vietnamese Pancakes - Bánh Xèo

Delicious Vietnamese pancakes known as bánh xèo make a delicious lunch or supper for family and friends
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings: 7
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g rice flour (not glutinous rice flour)
  • 60 g corn flour
  • 320 g coconut cream (or coconut milk)
  • 250 ml cold water
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 3 spring onions, green part only, finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 5 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 lime, juice only
  • 1-2 fresh red chillies, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
  • 2-3 tbsp granulated or caster sugar
  • 700 g large prawns, sliced in two
  • 100 g beansprouts
  • 1 tsp coconut oil or a neutral oil in pan when preparing each pancakes
  • 1 bunch fresh coriander
  • 1 bunch mint or Vietnamese mint
  • 1 bunch Thai sweet basil
  • 1 bunch holy basil
  • 2-3 whole Romaine lettuce or similar

Equipment

  • 1 pancake pan or frying pan

Method
 

  1. Begin by making the batter. Sieve both flours and then add the coconut cream (or coconut milk), water, turmeric powder, salt and spring onions. Make sure it is the consistency of pancake batter. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge, whilst you prepare the next steps
  2. To make the nuoc cham dipping sauce place the fish sauce, lime, fresh chilli, garlic and sugar to a bowl and mix well. Taste test to suit your taste. If you like, you can add a splash of rice vinegar, but it is not necessary.
  3. If the prawns are frozen, defrost them. I typically run them under cold water in a large bowl. Leave them for a few minutes and strain and repeat the process until they have thawed.
  4. If you are using king/large prawns slice them horizontally so you have two thinner prawns from the one larger prawn. Place in a bowl, cover with cling film and then place in the fridge until ready to cook.
  5. Prepare all the herbs and lettuce and place on a plate.
  6. In a frying pan, add a little neutral oil and add the prawns and allow them to become pink and cooked. This will take a couple of minutes max. Pour onto a plate and then do the next batch until they are all cooked. Place to one side as you prepare the pancake.
  7. Heat a pancake pan and add a little coconut oil or neutral oil. When it is hot add a ladle of the batter and swirl around so that it is evenly coated. Do not add too much batter as you want it crispy instead of too thick.
  8. Allow the batter to begin to crisp for a few minutes.
  9. Add a small amount of beansprouts on one side of the pancake and then add some of the cooked prawns.
  10. Using a spatula see if the underside of the pancake is very lightly bronzing. Once it is, gently bring one side of the pancake up and over the side with the beansprouts and prawns so that they are covered. Leave for a further minute or two and then gently slide the pancake onto a plate. Repeat the process until you have made as many pancakes as you require.
  11. I leave the cooked pancakes in a warming oven or a very low oven to keep them warm as you prepare the rest of the pancakes.
  12. To serve, cut off a little of the pancake and place it on a lettuce leaf along with some herbs and then wrap, dip in the nuoc cham and eat. Delicious and great fun to eat too for all the family

Notes

I often make a Vietnamese pomelo salad to eat after this course.