Bánh xèo
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 10 to 30 mins
- Serve
- Serves 4
Loaded with fresh herbs and succulent prawns, these crispy Vietnamese pancakes are quick and healthy, the ultimate midweek meal. Serve with a sweet and spicy nuoc cham dipping sauce for a little kick.
Ingredients
- 120g/4¼oz finely ground rice flour (available from Asian supermarkets)
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 350ml/12fl oz chilled soda water
- 75ml/2½fl oz coconut milk
- 1 iceberg lettuce
- 1 red lettuce (alternatively use another green lettuce)
- handful mint leaves
- handful Thai basil leaves
- handful fresh coriander
- 2 spring onions, green parts thinly sliced and white parts cut into thin strips
- sunflower oil, for frying
- 330g/11½oz peeled raw king prawns, each cut into thirds
- handful beansprouts
For the nuoc cham dipping sauce
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 red bird's-eye chilli, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 30ml/1fl oz fish sauce
- 1 lime, juice only
Method
Add the rice flour and turmeric to a bowl. Mix briefly, then whisk in the soda water and coconut milk until the flour has completely dissolved.
To make the nuoc cham dipping sauce, add the garlic and chilli to a small bowl. Stir in the sugar, fish sauce, lime juice and 100ml/3½fl oz water. Whisk until the sugar dissolves.
Separate about 10 leaves each from the iceberg and red lettuces and arrange on a platter. Strip the mint and Thai basil leaves, and roughly tear the coriander. Add to the platter.
Stir the sliced green spring onion into the batter.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of oil and swirl to coat. Add a few pieces of prawn and a sprinkle of the white spring onion.
After 30 seconds, pour in half a ladleful of batter and swirl to coat the pan in a thin layer. Cook over medium heat until the edges begin to lift. Add a small handful of beansprouts, then fold the pancake in half using a spatula. Cook for another 30 seconds, then set aside. Repeat with the remaining batter and filling.
Serve immediately while the pancakes are crispy. To eat, cut each pancake into thirds. Place a piece in a lettuce leaf with herbs, roll up, dip in the sauce and enjoy.
