Banh Xeo
This Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Crepe) recipe is the only recipe you will ever need. Tips to help you succeed and guarantee crispy results every time.
Yield: 10 crepes
Cost: 10
Equipment
- 1 NonStick Pan
- 1 Silicon Brush
Materials
Crepe Batter
- 1 pack Banh Xeo Prepared Mix (I use Vinh Tuan Brand)
- 1 can Coconut Milk or Coconut Cream 14oz (1.25 cups)
- 4 cups room temp water or slightly warm water
- 1 tablespoon Corn Starch
- ½ cup Oil -For Cooking (I use olive oil)
- 1 stalk Green onions (sliced)
Crepe Filling
- 1.5 lbs Pork Belly or Pork Butt (Or Ground pork)
- 1 lb Shrimp
- 1 bag Bean Sprouts
- ½ teaspoon Fish Sauce (Three Crabs Fish Sauce or Red Boat Fish Sauce)
- 1 teaspoon Oyster Sauce (LKK Oyster sauce or Vegetarian Oyster sauce)
- ½ teaspoon Soya Sauce (Seasoning Sauce)
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ cup Mung bean (Split Peeled Mung Beans ) Totally optional-I never use it
Dipping Sauce (nước chấm) *substitute “part” with any measurement like a teaspoon, tablespoon or cup*
- 6 part Warm Water
- 1 part Sugar
- 2 part Fish Sauce
- ¼ part Rice Vinegar
- ½ part Garlic (minced)
- 1 Thai Pepper, (if you're me put 10)
Garnishes
- 1 Head Lettuce
- 1 Cucumber (sliced)
- 1 Handful Cilantro
- 1 Handful Mint
- 1 Handful Perilla
Instructions
Banh Xeo - Crepe Batter
- Pour the contents of premix Banh Xeo into a large mixing bowl
- Inside the flour, there is a small pouch containing turmeric, cut that open and add to contents to your bowl mixing bowl as well
- Add 1 tablespoon corn starch to the mixing bowl and mix all dry ingredients well
- Add 4 cups water to the batter and mix, wait a 10 minutes and then add the entire 1 can of coconut milk or coconut cream. Mix and set aside
- If you would like to add sliced green onions, add now.
- For the crispiest results, cover and set aside for 1 hour or refrigerate overnight
Crepe filling:
Bean sprouts
- Wash and drain, keep submerged in clean water until ready to use
Pork Butt 1.5lbs (or use ground pork and season the same way)
- Slice into thin slices
- Add oil to Pan, sear on medium high for 2-3 mins each side. Be careful not to crowd the pan
- Once all cooked set aside and cover with foil
Shrimp
- Devein shrimp and boil in hot water about 2 minutes until pink, peel and set aside
Making the crepe
- Heat non stick pan to medium-medium high. Do not add oil. The batter should sizzle once the batter goes in and bubble up. Swirl the pan so the crepe is distributed evenly in a thin layer. Add cooked pork to half of the crepe and cover with a lid for 3 minutes.
- Note: The temperature that the pan is set to when pouring the batter in is what determines the crepes texture. If the heat is not high enough the crepe will be too smooth, and if it is too high, the bubbles will be too big and the crepe will not be able to crisp all the way.
- After 3 minutes, remove the lid. The edges of the crepe should be starting to brown up lightly and lift from the sides of the pan. Turn down heat to medium.
- Take your oil brush and add oil to the edges of the pan, continue frying for 3 minutes
- After another 3 minutes, use a brush to coat the entire bottom of the crepe. You can stick the brush under and apply oil, or fold the crepe in half and brush oil on the bottom of the crepe. Then flip the crepe over to brush the other side. Carefully open the crepe back up. The crepe should be crisping up but the insides will still look doughy. Continue cooking another 3 mins
- Check the crepe to make sure it is not burning add the shrimp and bean sprouts and cover with a lid for 3 minutes.
- Open the lid and cook for a final 3 minutes , totaling 15 minutes cooktime
How to eat Banh Xeo
- Banh Xeo is served with lettuce , herbs and dipping sauce. Prepare the perfect bite by taking a piece of the crepe, wrapping it with lettuce, topping with herbs and dunking into that Nuoc Chấm dipping sauce.
Video
Notes
Tips to Achieve Crispy Bánh Xèo:
Add oil after 3 min of cooking: If you are using a non stick pan, you will not need to add any oil to the pan at the beginning of cooking. Oil should only be added when the edges of the crepe have started to lift at about the 3 minute mark. Adding to the pan oil before before the batter results in a wet sticky batter, and the insides will not be able to crisp up. If your pan is not non stick, a tiny bit of oil can be brushed on or applied to the pan with a paper towel but I highly recommend using a NonStick Pan Cook at medium/medium high: If the crepe is cooked at too low of a temperature, the water will not be able to evaporate from the batter and you will be left with a soft moist crepe. If the crepe is cooked at too high of a temperature, the outside of the crepe will burn and the insides will still be soft and mushy. Batter consistency: The crepe batter should not be thick like a pancake batter. It should flow off the ladle smoothly and very easily. A good batter makes you question if you have put too much liquids in. Batter that is too thick will not spread evenly around the pan and will not crisp up as easily. Let the batter rest: The Rice flour needs time to "bloom". Resting the crepe for 1 hour is great but over night in the fridge will yield best results. Warm water: The warm water helps the rice flour dissolve better than cold. Warm water is recommended especially if the batter is resting for 1 hour instead of overnight. Lid on too long: If the lid is left on too long, the water condensation will drop back onto the crepe making it really soggy and hard to crisp up. Cook uncovered: The moisture needs to be able to escape the crepe, so cooking with the lid off will help the crisping process. Stir the batter before every pour: The water in the batter separates easily and quickly so it is important to stir the batter well before each pour. Take your time: I usually set a 3 minute timer to check on the crepe and I reset it 4 times. The total cook time should be 15 mins.