Recipe // Vietnamese Savory Crepes (Banh Xeo)

June 2, 2015

When I was in Vietnam last year on vacation, we ate Banh Xeo or Vietnamese Savory Crepes often!  Many times they would make it at our hotel for breakfast!  In Vietnam they eat a lot of savory foods for breakfast, even soups!  I loved it!  I’m a big savory over sweet eater in the mornings!
These sizzling Vietnamese Savory Crepes are so good!  I love making them for dinner, and when I’m not making them I love ordering them at my favorite Vietnamese restaurants.
The crepes are savory, and have a nice flavor to it with the turmeric in the flour mix, and coconut milk!
It is filled with bean sprouts, and pork and shrimp and scallions, then you serve it wrapped in lettuce leaves, and dipped in Vietnamese fish sauce (Nuoc Mam)
Banh Xeo – Sizzling Vietnamese Savory Crepes
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Batter- For Crepe part

1 package banh xeo flour mix. (14.1 ounce bag, I prefer the K Vinh Thuan Brand, this mix can be found at a Vietnamese market or Amazon linked above)
½ teaspoon salt
1 can coconut milk (14oz)
1 ¾ cup water
½-1 cup scallions

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together banh xeo flour mixture, salt, coconut milk, and water.  Mix together well, and let it sit for at least 20 minutes. Or several hours in the fridge for rice flour and liquids to combine.  
Next, mix in scallions.

Fillings

Shrimp
1 ½ lbs shrimp (medium to large size, deveined and peeled)
salt and fresh ground pepper
a few splashes of fish sauce

In a bowl, placed peeled shrimp (slice in half lengthwise if they are large), sprinkle with salt and pepper, and a little fish sauce. Set aside.

Pork
½ pound port butt, cut into thin slices
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
fresh ground black pepper
Place pork and all other ingredients in a bowl, marinate and set aside.

Vegetables
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
½ cup sliced scallions
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

3-5 cups bean sprouts (in a bowl wrapped in plastic wrap, steam in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes, set aside.

In a large skillet, place two tablespoons of coconut oil, and saute onions over medium low heat for about 2-5 minutes until just getting soft.
Add marinated shrimp, and cook about 2-3 minutes until the shrimp is cooked.  Turn off the heat and set aside.

Get an assembly line together: Shrimp and onion mixture, bean sprouts, cilantro, and scallions ready to go.

Cooking the Crepes (you want the crepes to be nice and crispy!)

In a medium skillet over medium to medium high heat, add a 1/2 -1 teaspoon of coconut oil (I like the flavor of coconut oil, you can also use vegetable oil)

After the pan has heated up, stir the batter with a ladle, and add about ¾ of a ladle full into the center of the pan and quickly swirl the pan to evenly distribute a thin layer of batter to the edges of the pan.  Try to go for as thin of a layer as possible.  You may have to adjust depending on the size of your pan.

Cook the one size of the crepe for a few minutes or until the edges come away from the pan and the bottom is starting to look crispy.  Use a large spatula to flip over the crepe.  Add a small layer of shrimp/pork, steamed bean sprouts, cilantro and scallions.  Allow the other side to cook for a few minutes until crispy and cooked through.  Fold the crepe up and over the shrimp/pork and vegetables.

Remove from the skillet onto a plate.

Serve with:

Pieces of lettuce leafs, Mint, Basil, Cilantro, Pickled Carrots and Daikon, Fish Sauce (Vietnamese dipping sauce)
Wrap a piece of the Banh Xeo in lettuce, and add some mint, basil, cilantro, pickled carrots, etc then dip in Fish sauce and eat.  
Fish Sauce or Nuoc Mam Cham  (For Dipping Lettuce Wrapped Banh Xeo)

1 cup water
½ cup sugar
6 tablespoons rice vinegar

Place in a sauce pan, and bring to a boil. 1-2 minutes, then allow to cool

After it cools, add:

4 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon chili paste (sambal olelek)
2 cloves garlic, minced
a few tablespoons carrots, cut julienne, and daikon cut julienne.
Mix in a jar.
Enjoy!


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