Banh Xeo, also known as Vietnamese sizzling pancakes, is a popular street food in Vietnam. Banh xeo is mostly unlike any other pancake you have tried before. Make it at home and then eat it like a local, it will give you an interesting cultural experience. Delicious and naturally gluten-free! You can easily make a Vegetarian version of banh xeo by removing the meat from the recipe. Hope you will enjoy banh xeo as much as we do!
Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Sizzling Pancakes)
Banh xeo (pronounced “ban see-yo”) is a popular street food, especially in central and southern Vietnam. Each region has its own way of making it. Its appearance, ingredients, and cooking techniques can vary depending on the region. Additionally, the fillings can vary based on local ingredients, giving each city its own unique version of the dish.
Many people mistake banh xeo for an omelet, but it includes no eggs. The crust is made with rice flour, a prince of turmeric powder, and salt. Some suggest adding some cornstarch to increase crispiness. Depending on personal preference, coconut milk is used to make the batter. You can also add some chopped chives to the batter for added flavor and color.
The fillings typically include prawns, slices of pork belly, cooked mung beans, and bean sprouts. Yet, it’s easy to create your own version of banh xeo by adding different proteins like chicken or seafood. You can easily make a Vegetarian version of banh xeo by removing the meat from the recipe.
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What is banh xeo?
Banh xeo means “sizzling cake.” The name comes from the sizzling sound (xèo) it makes when the batter hits the hot pan. Similar pancakes can be found in Cambodia (khanom beuang yuan) and Thailand (Ban sao) also.
How to eat Banh xeo like a local?
You can eat it straight up or eat it like a Vietnamese. The Vietnamese way of eating Banh xeo is unique, and you must try it. Eat it like a local, it will give you an unforgettable and interesting experience.
Banh xeo is best eaten when it is hot and fresh out of the pan to enjoy the crunchy edges.
These pancakes are served with a big plate of herbs and vegetables. It is composed of mostly lettuce, basil, mustard leaf, perilla, coriander, peppermint, sliced cucumber, and pickled carrots. The sweet and sour dipping sauce called nuoc cham is also a must-have item.
First, tear or cut banh xeo into bite-sized pieces. Then, take a lettuce leaf in your hand or a plate. You can also use rice paper sheets instead of lettuce. Place your preferred vegetables on top of the lettuce or rice paper. Place a piece of banh xeo, including both crust and fillings, on top of the vegetables. Roll up tightly. Dip the roll in the sweet and sour fish sauce. Take a big bite and enjoy!
Useful tips
- This recipe can be scaled up or down well as desired.
- You can use a 20 to 24 nonstick pan, adjusting the amount of batter and filling ingredients as appropriate.
- Use plain white rice flour ground from long- or medium-grain rice. Do not use glutinous rice flour, which is ground from glutinous or sweet rice.
- For a crispier version, add a few tablespoons of cornstarch to the rice flour.
- Adding coconut milk is optional. You can also use water instead.
- The batter needed a consistency comparable to crepe batter for it to flow freely.
- The batter set quickly in the hot skillet. Quickly, tilt the pan and swirl the batter to form a thin pancake. You should hear distinct sizzling that tells you you’re at the right temperature.
- I make these pancakes with a little oil. But, they are traditionally cooked in a generous amount of oil. If you like crispy pancakes, add extra oil around the edges of the pancake and fry it longer.
- Banh xeo is commonly made with pork, but you can also use chicken.
- Depending on the region, some use tofu, cooked mung beans, or shiitakes in the filling. You can experiment with the filling.
- Cook the beansprouts ahead of time so they don’t make the pancake too soggy.
Make-Ahead and Storage
The batter and fillings can be prepared up to 1 day in advance. Refrigerate any leftover batter in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Nuoc cham (Dipping Sauce)
Nuoc Cham is a dipping sauce that accompanies just about almost Vietnamese dish. It is a sweet, sour, salty, fishy, and spicy sauce that usually comes in a small bowl.
Just combine fish sauce, water, lime juice, sugar, chopped garlic, and chili in a small bowl and then stir well. You can substitute lime juice with lemon juice.
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Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Sizzling Pancakes)
Step-by-Step Guide
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serving: 8 to 10
Ingredients
For the batter
200 g rice flour
2 tablespoon cornstarch, optional
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
200 ml thick coconut milk
300 ml water, adjust as needed
A few spring onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons oil for cooking
For the filling
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
200 g pork, thinly sliced
10 cooked shrimps, peeled
Bean sprouts, as needed
Cooked mung beans, as needed
For Nuoc Cham (dipping sauce)
4 tbsp fish sauce
4 tbsp fresh lime juice (or lemon juice)
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp sugar
1 fresh red chill, halved, deseeded, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
For Serving
Half Lettuce, leaves separated and washed
Fresh herbs (coriander, mint etc.)
Steamed mung bean sprouts
Cucumbers, sliced
Carrot, thinly sliced
Instructions
Start by making the dipping sauce. Place the lime juice, sugar, fish sauce, and water in a small bowl. Mix until the sugar is dissolved. Add the garlic and chilies and mix well. Can be stored for up to 5 days in the fridge.
In a large bowl, combine rice flour, cornstarch, salt, sugar, and turmeric. Add water, and coconut milk, and mix until you have a smooth batter. Add the chopped spring onions and mix. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Gather the ingredients to make and serve the pancakes.
Season the pork with salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and stir-fry the onion and pork until cooked through. Add the shrimp and stir-fry for 1 minute—season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate.
Wipe the pan clean if you use the same pan to make pancakes. Heat the pan again over medium-high and generously brush with oil. Stir batter to mix well. Then, add a ladleful of batter. Quickly, tilt the pan and swirl the batter to form a thin pancake. (You should hear distinct sizzling if the pan is at the right temperature.)
Cook until cooked through. The edges should start to pull away from the side of the pan after 3 to 4 minutes. These pancakes are traditionally cooked in a generous amount of oil. But, I make these pancakes with a little oil. If you like a crispy pancake, add more oil around the edges of the pancake and fry it longer.
Scatter one-half of the pancake with an adequate amount of pork, prawn, bean sprouts, cooked mung beans, and chopped spring onions.
Gently slide a wide silicone spatula underneath and fold the crepe in half to cover the filling. Cook it for another 30 seconds. then transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter and filling, stirring the batter each time before ladling.
Bánh xèo are best eaten right away as each is ready.
Enjoy it the Vietnamese way! Wrap a piece of the pancake with the filling inside a lettuce leaf. Add lots of fresh herbs and sliced vegetables.
Then dip the bundle into the dipping sauce and enjoy!
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Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Sizzling Pancakes)
Ingredients
For the batter
- 200 g rice flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch optional
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 200 ml thick coconut milk
- 300 ml water adjust as needed
- A few spring onions finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons oil for cooking
For the filling
- 1 medium onion cut into thin wedges
- 200 g Pork thinly sliced
- 8 cooked prawns peeled
- 100 g bean sprouts
- cooked mung beans
For Nuoc Cham
- 4 tbsp fish sauce
- 4 tbsp fresh lime juice or lemon juice
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 fresh red chill halved, deseeded, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
For Serving
- Lettuce leaves separated and washed
- Your choice of fresh herbs coriander, mint etc.
- Steamed mung bean sprouts
- Cucumbers sliced
- 1 medium carrot thinly sliced
Instructions
- Start by making the dipping sauce. Place the lime juice, sugar, fish sauce, and water in a small bowl. Mix until the sugar is dissolved. Add the garlic and chilies and mix well. Can be stored for up to 5 days in the fridge.
- In a large bowl, combine rice flour, cornstarch, salt, sugar, and turmeric. Add water, and coconut milk, and mix until you have a smooth batter. Add the chopped spring onions and mix. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, season the pork with a pinch of salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and stir-fry the onion and pork until cooked through. Add the shrimp and stir-fry for 1 minute. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate.
- Wipe the pan clean if you use the same pan to make pancakes. Heat the pan again over medium-high and generously brush with oil. Stir batter to mix well. Then, add a ladleful of batter. Quickly, tilt the pan and swirl the batter to form a thin pancake. (You should hear distinct sizzling if the pan is at the right temperature.)
- Cook until cooked through. The edges should start to pull away from the side of the pan after 3 to 4 minutes. These pancakes are traditionally cooked in a generous amount of oil. But, I make these pancakes with a little oil.If you like a crispy pancake, add more oil around the edges of the pancake and fry it longer.
- Scatter one-half of the pancake with an adequate amount of pork, prawn, bean sprouts, cooked mung beans, and chopped spring onions.
- Gently slide a wide silicone spatula underneath and fold the crepe in half to cover the filling. Cook it for another 30 seconds. then transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter and filling, stirring the batter each time before ladling.
- Bánh xèo are best eaten right away as each is ready. Wrap a piece of the pancake with the filling inside a lettuce leaf. Add lots of fresh herbs and sliced vegetables. Then dip the bundle into dipping sauce and enjoy!
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