These Vietnamese mini pancakes turn golden and crisp underneath, with a soft, slightly coconutty center and a shrimp on top. Serve them with lettuce, herbs and nước chấm: dip them in the sauce, or wrap them in a lettuce leaf for a bite-sized mouthful.
Bánh khọt are small, round pancakes most often associated with Southern Vietnamese cuisine. Their distinctive shape comes from a pan with round wells: the batter develops a crisp base while staying soft inside. Shrimp is a popular topping, though the exact ingredients vary from cook to cook and from region to region. This recipe keeps things simple: rice flour, coconut milk, turmeric and one shrimp per pancake.
Rice flour gives the batter its light, crisp texture; coconut milk makes the inside richer in flavor. Turmeric turns the batter a warm yellow and adds a mild earthy note without making the dish strongly spiced. Let the batter rest briefly so the rice flour can absorb some moisture, then stir it again: the flour settles to the bottom as it stands. The batter should be thin enough to flow into the wells.
A special bánh khọt pan works best, but a poffertjes pan with small wells is a useful alternative. Heat the pan well and lightly grease each well so the bottoms fry rather than steam. Don’t fill the wells all the way, and keep the heat at medium. The edges should turn gently golden while the shrimp cooks. If the bottoms are already dark before the tops have set, lower the heat.
Nước chấm balances the dish: fish sauce and sugar bring savory and sweet notes, while lime adds fresh acidity. Garlic and chili make the dip spicier and more aromatic; leave out the chili if you prefer a milder sauce. For the herbs, you can use mint and cilantro, or replace some of them with Vietnamese mint if you can find it. Butter lettuce or leaf lettuce is sturdy enough to wrap around the pancakes.
Serve bánh khọt straight from the pan, with the lettuce, herbs and sauce on the side. That way, the edges stay crisp and everyone can put together their own bite or briefly dip the pancakes in the sauce. These quantities are intended as a starter for four people. Cover any leftovers after cooking and keep them in the refrigerator; use within two days. Reheat them in a hot skillet so the bottoms crisp up again a little. Store the lettuce and herbs separately.
Whisk the rice flour with the coconut milk, 150 ml water, turmeric and salt until smooth. Stir in the spring onion and let the batter rest for 20 minutes. Stir it well again before cooking.
Meanwhile, make the nước chấm: stir the fish sauce, lime juice, 3 tablespoons water and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Mix in the garlic and chili.
Heat a bánh khọt pan or poffertjes pan over medium heat. Lightly grease the wells with oil. Spoon batter into each well until about three-quarters full, and immediately place a shrimp on top.
Cook for 4–6 minutes, until the bottoms are deep golden brown and crisp and the shrimp are cooked through and pink. Cook in batches, lightly greasing the wells again before each new batch.
Serve the bánh khọt straight away with lettuce, mint, cilantro and the nước chấm. Wrap a pancake with herbs in a lettuce leaf, or dip it directly in the sauce.
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