Growing up, Banh Xeo was a household favorite. It reminds me a lot of the French crepe- a super thin pancake rolled and filled with savory or sweet goods. I consider Banh Xeo to be the Asian (or Vietnamese) version. It it filled with savory flavors arising from the pork and shrimps being mixed with the onions and bean sprouts.
If you’re not a fan of pork, you can use whichever meat you prefer but this is the original and most commonly used meat. I’m not the biggest fan of pork myself so I try to be conscious of my pork intake and limit it to just a few times per month. Serve this with a side of sweet fish sauce and vegetables then voila- you have yourself a refreshing but filling meal.
Banh Xeo
Course: MainCuisine: Asian, VietnameseDifficulty: Medium4
servings15
minutes30
minutesIngredients
Nonstick cooking oil spray
Aluminum foils, cut into rectangles
- For the crepe:
12 oz of Banh Xeo prepared flour
1 cup of coconut milk
2 stalks of green onions, finely chopped
2 1/2 cups of hot water
- For the filling:
1 1/2 tbsp of vegetable oil
1 lb of ground pork
1 lb of large shrimps, chopped
2 cups of bean sprouts
1/2 of a large onion, chopped
2 1/2 tbsp of fish sauce
1/4 tsp of black pepper
- For the side:
Lettuce
Carrots, julienne
Cucumbers, sliced
Directions
- Start with prepping the veggies: chop the onion, julienne cut the carrots, slice the cucumbers and separate the lettuce leaves from the head and chop off the core end.
- Prep the shrimps: peel and devein, if not done already, then chop the shrimps into cubes of 4.
- Prepare the batter: follow the instructions on the packet or simply mix the flour with the coconut milk, hot water and finely chopped green onions. Mix ingredients well then set aside for at least 10 minutes.
- Preheat large skillet over medium heat and add vegetable oil, allow that to heat up for 2-3 mins.
- Then add the ground pork, stirring it around in the oil before adding the seasonings: sugar, fish sauce and black pepper. Mix that evenly and let it cook for 3 mins.
- Then add in the onions and let it cook for 7-8 mins.
- After the filling has cooked for 7-8 mins, add in the shrimps and allow to cook for an additional 4 mins then add in the bean sprouts.
- Moving onto the crepe: preheat griddle to 400 degrees and spray with nonstick cooking oil. Allow it to heat up for 2-3 mins. Pour a scoop of batter in a circular motion and let it cook for 8 mins before adding filling to half of the crepe and folding it in half.
- Cut aluminum foil into rectangles. These will be used to separate the crepes.
- Remove from griddle and repeat steps 7 and 8 until there is no more filling for the crepe.
- Immediately serve with a side of sweet fish sauce and vegetables of your preference. Personally, I like to eat cucumbers, lettuce and carrots with my Banh Xeo- enjoy!
Notes
- I like to use a griddle, I find it very convenient but you can use a cast iron or nonstick pan as well
