Vietnamese Turmeric Crepe / Bánh Xèo

From the jump Bánh xèo has been my most requested dish to make, and it’s finally here y’all. This is the easiest, most fool-proof way to make delicious and crispy bánh xèo!

What is Banh Xeo?

Banh Xeo is a popular Vietnamese dish that translates to “sizzling cake” in English. It’s a savory crepe made from rice flour, coconut milk, and turmeric, which gives it its distinctive yellow color. The batter is poured onto a hot griddle, along with fillings such as shrimp, pork, bean sprouts, and sometimes mung beans. The crepe is then folded in half and served with fresh herbs like mint and lettuce and a dipping sauce typically made from fish sauce, lime juice, and chili. Banh Xeo is loved for its crispy texture and flavorful fillings, making it a favorite street food snack or meal in Vietnam.

How to make the batter:

The batter is 1 1/2 cups of rice flour, 1/2 cup of cornstarch to give it that extra light and crispiness, 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder for the color, 1/2 cup of coconut milk, and a 12oz can of your favorite lager, like Rainier. You can also substitute it with carbonated water or Coco Rico. 

*Make sure you use standard rice flour and NOT glutinous rice flour. Glutinous rice flour will yield a stickier batter, which is not what we want for banh xeo!

Add in about 3-4 stalks of diced green onions and some salt, mix it up, and let it sit to let the batter come together. (This is enough to make about 6-8 large bánh xèo)

How to make the filling:

For the filling, peel about a pound of shrimp and cut them in half lengthwise. We’re seasoning the shrimp with a teaspoon of minced garlic, a splash of fish sauce, and some black pepper. 

Thinly slice pork belly and season it the exact same way as the shrimp.

Then we’re precooking the pork belly to save time when we’re making the bánh xèo. 

Add some pork belly and shrimp to the pan and sauté for a minute; add just enough batter to make a thin layer. (If there’s too much batter, your bánh xèo won’t get crispy.) It’s also important not to use too much oil because the batter will absorb it; again, it won’t get as crispy.

Add in some beansprouts, cover, and cook on medium-low for 3-4 minutes, or until the bánh xèo has released from the pan and is nice and crispy. 

And that’s pretty much it! Serve ya bánh xèo with fresh veggies like lettuce, cucumber, cilantro, and pickled veggies.
The dipping sauce is my standard nước chấm; make sure you check out that recipe!