Bánh xèo

Bánh xèo, which translates to ‘sizzling cake’, is a traditional Vietnamese street food that features a rice flour-based turmeric pancake filled with prawns, pork, and bean sprouts. The name of this dish originates from the enticing sizzle of the batter hitting the hot pan. It is typically served with fresh lettuce leaves and a nước chấm Vietnamese dipping sauce for a rich, umami flavour.

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

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Savoury Pancakes

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Ingredients

• 150 g rice flour (not glutinous rice flour)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 200 ml coconut milk
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• green oak lettuce leaves
• fresh herbs (mint, coriander, Vietnamese mint, Thai basil etc.)

For the filling 

• 200 g boneless rindless pork belly
• vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 small brown onion, finely sliced
• 400 g raw peeled prawn meat
• 4 cups bean sprouts

For the nước chấm

• 1 bird’s eye chilli
• 2 garlic cloves
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• ¼ cup caster sugar
• ½ cup fish sauce
• cold water, as necessary

Cooling time: 1 hour

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk the rice flour, cornstarch, turmeric and salt together, then add the coconut milk and whisk again. The mixture should be the consistency of pouring cream, so if it isn’t (different brands and kinds of rice flour will absorb liquid very differently) adjust the consistency with either more flour or cold water. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes. Stir through the spring onions when ready to cook.

2. Place the pork belly in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, skimming any scum as it comes to the surface. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from the heat, cool in the liquid, then thinly slice.

3. To make the nước chấm, pound the chilli and garlic together with a mortar and pestle, then add the remaining ingredients. Mix to combine, taste and adjust seasoning. Dilute with cold water to taste.

4. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add a drizzle of vegetable oil and add a few slices of onion, a few prawns and a few slices of pork. Fry for about a minute then add enough of the batter to coat the base of the pan. Fry for about 5 minutes, until the prawns are cooked through, and add a handful of beansprouts to one side of the pan about a minute from the end of cooking.

5. Flip the bánh xèo in half to cover the beansprouts then remove to a serving plate. Serve with the lettuce, herbs and nước chấm.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Savoury Pancakes

Watch the full episode here

G

Watch the full episode here

G