Crispy Vietnamese Crepes (Banh Xeo)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
2 people
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Calories
576 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Appetizer
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Cuisine
Vietnamese
Crispy Vietnamese Crepes (Banh Xeo)
Description
This Banh Xeo recipe starts with a batter of rice flour, cornstarch, salt, turmeric, coconut milk, and water, whisked until smooth to create thin, turmeric-colored crepes. Scallions are sliced to add freshness. The filling consists of thinly sliced pork, peeled shrimp, sliced onions and shallots, and bean sprouts. Each filling component is sautéed separately to preserve texture and flavor: onions until lightly soft but still crisp, pork quickly seared with fish sauce and seasoning, and shrimp cooked until tender. The batter is cooked in a hot oiled pan to form light, crisp crepes, then filled with the cooked ingredients and bean sprouts before folding.
The flavor profile features the earthiness and slight bitterness from turmeric balanced by the sweetness of coconut milk and the savory richness of pork and shrimp, complemented by fresh herbs served alongside. The lime fish dipping sauce adds a tangy, salty, and mildly sweet accompaniment enhancing each bite. These crepes are best enjoyed fresh as a main dish for two or as an appetizer for a small group.
Rice flour can settle when resting, so stirring the batter before use helps maintain consistency. The recipe yields three 12-inch crepes, appropriate for a small meal or shared appetizer.
Ingredients
For the batter
- 3/4 cup rice flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/4 cup coconut milk (canned coconut milk)
- 1 cup water
- 2 scallions optional, stalks
For the filling
- 1 yellow onion or half of a large onion, small, thinly sliced
- 4 oz pork shoulder or pork tenderloin, pork belly, thinly sliced
- 1 small shallot thinly sliced
- 8 oz Shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 1/2 cups bean sprout
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- black pepper
- salt
- neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
For the lime fish dipping sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 4 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
For serving
- green lettuce
- mint
- cilantro
Instructions
Prepare the batter
- In a mixing bowl, add rice flour, cornstarch, salt and turmeric. Add coconut milk and water and whisk until the batter is smooth with no lumps. Set aside.
- Thinly slice the scallions and set aside. We will add it right before making the crepe.
Prepare the filling
- Prep all ingredients for the filling: thinly slice onion, thinly slice pork, thinly slice shallot, peel and devein shrimps.
- Place a pan over medium high heat. Add oil, and then add onion slices. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until onion loses its rawness while still crunchy. Transfer to a clean plate.
- In the same pan over medium high heat, add shallot and sauté until fragrant. Add pork in one single layer and let it cook undisturbed for 30 seconds. After that, add 1 teaspoon of fish sauce and black pepper and stir-fry until pork is fully cooked. Transfer to clean plate.
- In that same pan, make sure it's at medium high heat. Add shrimps and sear both sides until they are fully cooked. Season with a pinch of salt. Transfer to clean plate. If your shrimps are large, cut in half length-wise.
Prepare the lime dipping fish sauce
- Whisk together lime juice, water, fish sauce and sugar. Taste and adjust to your liking and then add minced garlic. Set aside.
Make the crepe
- Add thinly sliced scallions to the batter and stir well.
- If using the same pan, wipe it clean. Place it over medium to medium high heat, add oil to coat the pan. If you use a 12-inch pan, pour 1/3 of the batter into the pan and quickly swirl the pan to cover the bottom. The batter should sizzle right after you pour it into the pan. If you use a small or larger pan, adjust the amount of batter: use just enough to coat the bottom with a thin layer.
- In the beginning, the crepe will look soft. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes. When you see that the bottom is about to crisp up (you can use a spatula to check the bottom), spread 1/2 cup of bean sprouts on one side of the crepe. Let it cook for 20-30 seconds.
- Continue to spread 1/3 of the onion, pork and shrimp on the same side where you just put the bean sprouts.
- Continue to cook the crepe for 2-3 more minutes until it is crispy. If you feel more oil is needed, drizzle some oil around the rim of the pan. Also pay attention to the heat, if you see that it develops colors too fast while it's not quite crispy yet, lower the heat slightly.
- When the crepe is crispy to your liking, use a spatula to fold the half without filling over the other half. Then slide it out of the pan or use spatulas to transfer it to a serving plate.
- Continue with remaining batter and filling. Wipe the pan clean after you finish each crepe.
- Serve the crepes hot with lettuce and herbs on the side and dipping sauce.
Notes
- Stir the batter well before pouring to redistribute rice flour that may settle at the bottom.
- This recipe yields three 12-inch crepes, serving 2 as a main or 3-4 as an appetizer.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 2people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 576 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 576kcal | 29% |
| Carbohydrates | 80g | 27% |
| Protein | 38g | 76% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Cholesterol | 309mg | 103% |
| Sodium | 2163mg | 90% |
| Potassium | 614mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 10g | 20% |
| Vitamin A | 120IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 27mg | 30% |
| Calcium | 207mg | 21% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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