Bánh Xèo – Crispy Vietnamese Pancakes

A plate with a filled bahn xeo - a crispy Vietnamese pancake - with salad and dipping sauce. There is another plate with unfilled banh xeo and a plate of karaage chicken pieces.

These deliciously crispy pancakes are a real crowd-pleaser. Packed with flavour and texture, and dipped in a sweet chilli sauce, they are a great option for a family meal. Everyone can customise their own bánh xèo according to what fillings they like.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Course Dinner

Cuisine Asian

Servings

Ingredients

Batter

1 cup FreshLife rice flour
½ cup cornflour
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 ½ cups water
½ cup Trident coconut milk
2 spring onions finely chopped

Filling Options - use your choice of proteins and vegetables

1 packet Waitoa Free Range Karaage Chicken
1 cup cooked prawns
1 cup bean sprouts
1 carrot grated
1 small onion finely sliced

Nuoc Cham (Dipping Sauce)

3 tbsp Trident Sweet Chilli Sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 clove garlic finely chopped

To serve

Lettuce leaves
Fresh mint
Fresh coriander

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients for the batter except the spring onion in a bowl and whisk well. Set aside to rest for half an hour. You can make the batter ahead of time and store it in the fridge overnight. Add the spring onions to the batter just before cooking.
While the batter is resting, cook the karaage chicken according to the instructions on the packet.
To make the Dipping Sauce: shake all the ingredients together in a jar and leave for at least 20 minutes before using. You can make the sauce ahead of time.
To cook the bánh xèo, stir the spring onion into the batter. Heat a 22cm non-stick pan to medium high and add a spoonful of oil. Pour about a third of a cup of batter into the pan and tilt the pan to spread it out.
Sprinkle some cooked chicken or prawns over half of the pancake, along with some carrot and onion. Cook for 4 minutes.
Fold the pancake over to cover the filling and slide onto a plate. Hand it over to be eaten immediately or keep it warm in the over while you make the rest of the bánh xèo.
To eat: Tear off a piece of the bánh xèo, fold it in a lettuce leaf and with some fresh herbs, and dip into the sauce.