Banh Xeo Recipe (Vietnamese pancake)

As a child, we would have a bowl of rice with two or three Vietnamese dishes every night. Without fail. And if you didn't feel like rice, well TOO BAD, that's what you'd get no if, buts or maybes. After I moved out, it was both a source of freedom and sadness.

If I wanted to eat a nasty ass $5 pizza from Dominos then I could. But then again, I had to actually eat the nasty ass pizza from Dominos and not some delicious, healthy home cooked mum meal. Well we started off pretty pitifully as no one taught Kevin nor I to cook and we survived on pre-packaged bottled pasta sauce and overcooked soggy 59c spaghetti for our first year living together.

We're now onto our fourth year living together and I've taken on the role as primary cook and Kevin as head washer. It's a natural division and most couples will naturally migrate to the role that they are better at. Plus I really hate washing up. This is my first attempt at making Banh Xeo and I gotta say, it's pretty good for a rookie and a far cry from bottled pasta sauce. 

Banh Xeo Recipe

Pancakes

1 cup rice flour (Thai versions are fairly easy to find)

1 cup water

1/2 cup of coconut milk (canned)

1 tablespoon turmeric2 tablespoons banana/prawn fritter flour (optional - gives extra crunch)

pinch of salt

4 shallots (thinly sliced)

vegetable oil for frying

Filling

250g small prawns

1 pork rasher, thinly sliced

1 small onion, thinly sliced

6 medium mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 cups bean sprouts

dipping sauce (see below)

In a bowl mix the flours, water, shallots, turmeric and salt. 

Heat a little oil in a hot non-stick pan and cook the onions, mushrooms, pork and shrimp. 

When cooked through pour in 1 ladle of batter on top of the fillings and tilt the pan to spread the batter like a pancake. You should try spread the batter thinly and add small amounts of batter to fill in any gaps. 

Top with bean sprouts and cook for 2-3 minutes until the bottom of the pancake is browning and very crunchy and the edges are super crisp.

The pancake should be able to hold its shape without tearing. Using a spatula, carefully fold the pancake in half slide out onto a plate (this may take several attempts to perfect). Serve with lettuce and dipping sauce.

Nuoc mam dipping sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

2-3 Tablespoons fish sauce

1-2 T lemon juice or white vinegar

1/4 cup boiling water

Put sugar in a small bowl and add hot water.

Mix until sugar is dissolved and add lemon juice (or vinegar) and fish sauce and taste. 

There should be an even balance between sweet, salty and sour elements. Don't be afraid to adjust it!

Kevin said once he could smell it climbing up the stairs of our three floor apartment block he started running up the steps. He's too cute for words. And nothing tops a good ol' Asian meal like a fresh young coconut. Nom nom nom.