This Southern Vietnamese rice pancake is thin, golden and crisp around the edges, filled with shrimp, pork, mung beans and bean sprouts. Tear off pieces and wrap them in lettuce and herbs; nước chấm adds freshness, saltiness and a little heat.
The name bánh xèo refers to the sizzling sound the batter makes when it hits a hot pan. In the Southern Vietnamese version, bánh xèo miền Nam, the batter is often colored with turmeric and made with coconut milk. The flavor is mild with a light coconut note; the filling brings savory pork and shrimp, tender mung beans and juicy bean sprouts. The contrast comes mainly from the crisp pancake, fresh leaves and tangy, salty dipping sauce.
Rice flour is the base, but the right ratio alone won’t make the pancake crisp. A thin layer of batter, a properly preheated pan and enough room for moisture to escape are important. So fry without a lid and don’t pour too much batter into the pan at once. Coconut milk adds flavor and richness; water makes the batter pourable. Let the batter rest briefly so the rice flour can absorb the liquid, and stir it again before using because the flour can settle to the bottom.
The mung beans used here are peeled yellow mung beans, not the long green sprouts sold as bean sprouts. They’re cooked or steamed until tender and provide a mild, crumbly contrast to the crisp edge. If you can’t find them, leave them out rather than replacing them with another bean that has a very different texture. Pork belly adds juiciness, but thinly sliced pork shoulder also works; cook it thoroughly. Small shrimp cook quickly and are practical in a thin filling.
The herbs and lettuce aren’t just decoration: they lighten each bite and give the pancake a fresh, green aroma. For example, use mint, cilantro and Thai basil, or use regular basil if Thai basil isn’t available. Nước chấm is made with fish sauce, lime, sugar, water, garlic and chili. Taste the sauce and adjust the lime and water in particular; fish sauces vary in saltiness. Serve the pancakes as soon as they come out of the pan so the edges stay crisp. Leftovers can be covered and refrigerated within two hours and reheated thoroughly; they will be less crisp after storage.
Soak the mung beans in plenty of water for at least 1 hour. Drain and steam them in a heatproof bowl over boiling water for 15–20 minutes, until tender. Set aside.
Whisk the rice flour, coconut milk, 400 ml water, turmeric and salt in a bowl until smooth. Stir in the scallions and leave the batter to rest for 30 minutes.
To make the nước chấm, stir together the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and 120 ml water until the sugar dissolves. Mix in the garlic and chili. Taste and add a little more water or lime juice if you like.
Prepare the lettuce and herbs. Rinse the bean sprouts and drain them well. Divide the mung beans into eight portions.
Heat a splash of oil in a frying pan about 24 cm wide over medium-high to high heat. Fry one portion of pork with a few shrimp and some shallot until the pork is almost cooked and the shrimp begin to change color.
Stir the batter. Pour a thin layer into the pan and swirl it to cover the base. Sprinkle over one portion of mung beans and bean sprouts. Fry uncovered for 4–5 minutes, until the underside is golden brown and crisp and the shrimp are cooked through. Fold the pancake in half and transfer it to a plate.
Repeat with the remaining oil, pork, shrimp, shallot, batter, mung beans and bean sprouts. Serve immediately with lettuce, mint, cilantro, Thai basil and nước chấm. Tear off pieces of pancake and wrap them with lettuce and herbs before dipping them in the sauce.
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