Bánh xèo - Vietnamese Savory Crepe

This has been the most anticipated recipe yet! Everytime I posted a story of me eating Bánh xèo, people constantly DMed me for the recipe!! If you’ve never heard of banh xeo, it's a vietnamese savory crepe typically made of rice flour, water, and tumeric. It's super crispy and it's nothing like French crepes. Typically it is filled with pork belly, shrimp, and bean sprouts. It’s usually served with lettuce, mint, thai basil, and served with a fish sauce dipping sauce. In Cambodia they have an identical dish called banh chao, except they fill it with a ground pork filling.

In my version, I use a premixed flour pack from the brand “TL Bốn Con Voi Corp” and I combine it with water, coconut milk, and beer. This was the way my mom made it and how I grew up having it made, so I'm just continuing to do the same thing. Before I never really had a recipe for this, nor did my mom. She never used measurements, but this time around she did just for the sake of the recipe 🤣. Hope you all enjoy the recipe and as always check out the recipe video on YouTube if you need visuals!

Notes & Tips

• If you choose to use pork belly or any raw protein that may take a while to cook, scatter some on half of the pan before you put the batter. Be sure they are cut into small thin slices to ensure they will cook through.
• If you use salmon, you may add the salmon before or after the batter depending on how cooked you like your salmon. Again be sure to cut them thinner so they cook faster.
• You are not limited to the protein/vegetable choices I suggested. Do note that the ones I listed are the typical ones you’d get in a restaurant. Food is a canvas, feel free to use any protein/vegetables you wish,
• The protein you pick can be precooked if you wish.
• It may seem like a lot of oil, but it’s what makes the crepe so crispy! I also recommend using a non stick pan.
• You don’t really taste the beer in the batter so do not be concerned as the beer will cook out. If you are allergic however, you may try using seltzer, however I’ve never done it before so I’m not sure how it will come out. 
• Different banh xeo mixes have different ingredients. If you are unable to find the specific brand I used you may use another brand, however the outcome may not be the same.
• The coconut milk makes a big difference flavor wise. I apologize if you are allergic to coconut or coconut milk, however you could probably substitute it with water. Just note that the flavor will differ. I also would like to note that I’ve never done this specific modification, so please let me know how it turns out if you do. 

Bánh Xèo - Vietnamese Savory Crepe

Make this insanely easy recipe in the comfort of your own home!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine cambodian, vietnamese

Ingredients

  

Banh Xeo

• 1 pack ”TL Bốn Con Voi Corp” banh xeo mix
• 2 cups coconut milk I like Aroy-D Brand
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup Heineken beer
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• Vegetable oil
• ½ lb pork belly sliced thin
• ½ lb raw salmon sliced ¼ of an inch thick
• ½ lb shrimp sliced in halves
• 1 small bag bean sprouts
• 1 medium onion sliced

Creating Wraps (optional)

• 1 pack rice paper
• 1 bunch romaine lettuce / any lettuce
• 1 English cucumber sliced
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 bunch Thai basil destemmed
• 1 scallion bunch sliced

Instructions

 

Banh Xeo

• In a large bowl, empty the contents of the Banh xeo mix, including the turmeric pouch.
• To the bowl, add in the salt, extra turmeric, coconut milk, water, and beer. Whisk to combine until the batter is nice and smooth. Let batter rest for 10-15 minutes. *Optional: you can add in sliced scallions into the batter if you wish at this point.
• In a large nonstick pan, heat up about 3-5 tablespoon of oil on medium-high heat. Once heated, scatter some sliced onions if you wish and pour in batter to coat the surface. Swirl the pan to evenly coat the surface. Depending on the type of protein you choose, you can add it before or after you pour the batter. Typically proteins that take longer to cook should go before the batter.
• Cover the pan with a lid for 2-3 minutes. Uncover afterwards and add about 1-2 tablespoon of oil along the edges of the pan. Run a rubber spatula under the edges of the banh xeo, so the oil can seep under.
• If you choose fast cooking proteins, you may now add them to half of the crepe. Top your protein with a hand full of bean sprouts if you desire as well. Continue to cook for 1 minute, then with a spatula carefully fold the crepe in half and continue to cook until both sides are crispy.
• Once the crepe is crispy and your proteins are fully cooked, serve the banh xeo Immediately on a plate with the accompanying vegetables & fish sauce dipping sauce.

Creating Wraps

• Wash all the vegetables accordingly and cut the cucumber into about 2.5 inch long matchstick pieces.
• Dip the rice paper into warm or hot water and place it on a flat plate. To build the roll, add in whichever vegetables you’d like, then cut a small piece of the banh xeo and place it on top of the vegetables
• Lift the side of the rice paper close to you and roll it forward like you would a burrito. Be careful not to overstuff your roll, or it will not seal properly. Roll it half way as tightly as possible, then fold in the sides and continue to roll it tightly forward to seal.
• Dip into fish sauce dipping sauce and enjoy!

Keyword banh chao, banh xeo, crepe, fish sauce, nuoc cham, vietnamese crepe

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