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Bánh xèo are savory Vietnamese pancakes that bring a light rice batter and unique fillings together for one tasty, crispy breakfast or snack! | www.CuriousCuisiniere.com
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4.43 from 19 votes

Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Happy Pancakes)

Bánh xèo, or Vietnamese Happy Pancakes, are crepe-like pancakes that bring a light rice batter and ample fillings together for one tasty, crispy breakfast or snack!
Yield: 6 filled pancakes
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese
Servings: 3 people
Author: Sarah - Curious Cuisiniere

Ingredients

For The Vietnamese Rice Flour Pancakes

  • 1 c rice flour
  • 1 c water
  • 1 c coconut milk
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 scallion, sliced thin
  • Oil (for cooking)

For The Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham)

  • 6 tablespoon warm water
  • 2 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoon lime juice
  • 2 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 red chili (preferably Birds Eye or Thai), minced

For The Fillings

  • 2 c fresh bean sprouts
  • ½ lb pork (or mushrooms), sliced
  • ½ lb small shrimp, peeled
  • 6 scallions, sliced
  • Lettuce leaves and herbs (mint and cilantro), for serving

Instructions

For The Vietnamese Rice Flour Pancakes

  • Mix all pancake batter ingredients together in a large bowl until smooth. Let the mixture stand for 30 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.

For The Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham)

  • Mix all the dipping sauce ingredients. Set aside.

To Prepare The Fillings

  • Preheat a 9 inch, non-stick skillet with a lid over medium heat. Add the bean sprouts and cook until most of the moisture has evaporated. Remove the sprouts from the pan and set aside.
  • Increase the heat to medium high. Add 1 teaspoon of oil to the skillet. Add the pork and shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes, until cooked through. Add the scallions and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside.

To Make The Pancakes

  • Add ½ teaspoon of oil to the skillet (if it looks dry) and pour about ½ c of the batter into the hot pan, tilting the pan quickly to create an even layer of batter that coats the pan.
  • Distribute some of the cooked filling and bean sprouts over half of the batter and cover the skillet for 2-3 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. .
  • Remove the lid and reduce the heat to medium, cooking until the bottom of the pancake is crispy, 3-5 minutes.
  • Once the bottom of the pancake is golden and crispy, fold the pancake in half over the filling. Transfer to a plate and serve.
  • Continue with the remaining batter and filling, adding a little oil as needed before pouring the batter.