Vietnamese Crispy Pancake (Bánh Xèo)
An iconic street dish throughout Vietnam, this ultra-crispy pancake uses a simple rice flour-water batter and any protein additions you love.
Bánh Xèo is one of Vietnam’s classic street food dishes that’s enjoyed from the far north to the far south of Vietnam. Vietnam cuisine is regional, with differing styles of traditional dishes spanning the North, South and Central Vietnam. Bánh Xèo is a crispy fried pancake made with just rice flour and water in its simplest sense. In the South of Vietnam they will often add some coconut milk and/or sparkling coconut soda. The simplest method is from North/Central Vietnam, which uses just rice flour, water and some scant flavourings. The fillings do most of the work, using everything from meat, prawns and crunchy vegetables, but you have plenty of room for customisation. The trick to good bánh xèo is the pan you fry it in. In Vietnam it is usually fried in a steel or cast iron pan with plenty of oil. A non-stick pan struggles to throw the right amount of heat into the pancake, resulting in an uneven crisp and it being too stiff to fold. As for eating, enjoy bánh xèo tucked into fresh lettuce leaves or rice paper and dipped into dipping sauce of your choice. I recommend nước chấm, sriracha or a good sweet chilli sauce. Let’s go!
