Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Crispy Sizzling Crêpes)

Method

1. Make the batter: in a large bowl, whisk the rice flour, turmeric and salt, then whisk in the coconut milk and water until completely smooth, with no lumps. It should be as thin as whole milk; that is what makes the crêpes thin and crisp. Thinly slice the spring onions and stir them in. Let the batter rest for 30 min so the flour hydrates fully (it can also rest in the fridge for several hours).

   Add in this stepRice flour (not glutinous) 120 gGround turmeric ½ tspSalt (for the batter) 2 pinchCoconut milk 100 mlWater (for the batter) 220 mlSpring onions (scallions) 2

2. Make the nước chấm: stir the sugar into the warm water until fully dissolved, then add the fish sauce and lime juice. Taste: sweet, sour and salty should be in balance, pleasant enough to sip from a spoon. Finely mince the garlic, thinly slice the chillies and float them on top.

   Add in this stepWarm water (for the dipping sauce) 90 mlSugar (for the dipping sauce) 2 tbspFish sauce (for the dipping sauce) 2 tbspFresh lime juice 2 tbspGarlic cloves (for the dipping sauce) 1Bird's eye chillies 1

3. Prepare the filling: cut the pork belly into thin slices about 3 mm thick and 4 cm long and toss with the fish sauce and pepper. Peel and devein the shrimp and halve them lengthwise so they cook as fast as the batter. Thinly slice the onion. Rinse the bean sprouts and drain them very well; wet sprouts make the crêpes soggy.

   Add in this stepPork belly 120 gFish sauce (for the filling) 1 tspGround black pepper ¼ tsp

4. Heat a 24 cm frying pan on medium-high heat with some of the oil. Stir-fry the pork for about 4 min, until the fat turns golden and the meat is cooked through; add the shrimp and onion for the last minute, just until the shrimp turn pink. Tip everything onto a plate. Pre-cooking guarantees the filling is fully cooked inside the thin crêpe.

   Add in this stepRaw shrimp (peeled weight) 120 gOnion ½Neutral oil ¾ tbsp

   medium-high heat

5. Make the crêpes, 4 in total. Stir the batter well from the bottom each time, as the flour settles. Heat a 26 cm non-stick pan on medium-high heat with about 1 teaspoon of oil until it shimmers. Scatter in one portion of the filling, pour in a ladle of batter (about 100 ml) and immediately swirl the pan so it coats the base in a thin layer; the loud sizzle you hear gives bánh xèo its name. Pile a handful of bean sprouts on one half, cover and cook for 2 min. Uncover, drizzle a little oil around the edge, lower to medium heat and cook for 3 min, until the underside is deep golden and crisp and the edge lifts from the pan. Fold in half and slide onto a plate. Stand back when the batter hits the hot oil, as it can spit.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil 2¾ tbspMung bean sprouts 100 g

   medium-high heat→medium heat

6. Serve immediately while crisp, with the lettuce and herbs on the side. To eat, tear off a piece of crêpe, wrap it in a lettuce leaf with some mint and perilla, and dip it into the nước chấm.

   Add in this stepSoft lettuce leaves 120 gFresh mint 10 gPerilla leaves 8