“Bánh xèo is a light savoury crêpe, eaten with an abundance of salad leaves and herbs. There’s a knack to eating these: gather a palmful of leaves and herbs into your hand, break off some crêpe onto the leaves, then roll it up and dip it into the sauce. You can vary the filling,” says food writer Uyen Luu. “You’ll need a 20cm non-stick frying pan with a lid for this recipe.”

Sizzling Vietnamese crepe
Sizzling Vietnamese crepe (Uyen Luu/PA)
Sizzling Vietnamese crepe
Print Recipe
Nutrition Facts
Sizzling Vietnamese crêpes with prawns
Amount Per Serving
Calories 306 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 63mg21%
Sodium 2011mg87%
Potassium 519mg15%
Carbohydrates 40g13%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 12g24%
Vitamin A 1305IU26%
Vitamin C 44mg53%
Calcium 83mg8%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Sizzling Vietnamese crêpes with prawns

Spectacular to look at and very tasty to eat
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Servings: 4
Calories: 306kcal
Author: Uyen Luu

Equipment

  • 20cm non-stick frying pan with a lid 
  • Bowl

Ingredients

For the crêpe batter:

  • 100 g rice flour (Asian Rose Brand, or any non-glutinous)
  • 1 tsp heaped ground turmeric
  • 200 ml coconut milk
  • 200 ml water
  • 1 spring onion  thinly sliced
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • A pinch of caster (superfine) sugar
  • Vegetable or coconut oil, for frying

For the filling:

  • 2 round shallots thinly sliced
  • 200 g shelled, de-veined and halved king prawns
  • 100 g beansprouts
  • 50 g garlic chives or coriander (optional)
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the garnish:

  • Lettuce leaves
  • Spring onions cut into short lengths
  • A variety of Asian herbs, such as coriander, Thai sweet basil, garden mint, perilla (shiso), cockscomb

For the fish sauce (serves 4): 

  • 2 bird’s eye chillies finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • 3 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
  • 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 4 tbsp fish sauce
  • 80 ml hot water

Method

  • Wash and dry the salad leaves and set them aside.
  • Next, make the crêpe batter. Mix together the flour, turmeric, coconut milk, water, spring onion, salt and sugar in a bowl, making sure it is smooth and free of lumps. It should resemble the consistency of single cream.
  • To make the filling, heat one teaspoon of oil in a frying pan over a medium–high heat and fry a few slices of shallot until golden. Season the prawns with salt and pepper and add a couple of pieces to the pan for a minute.
  • Using a shallow ladle, pour in a thin layer of the crêpe batter, swivelling the pan to get it covered all around the edges. Add a handful of beansprouts and chives/coriander (if using) and cover the pan with the lid. Keep the steam in and allow to cook for two minutes with the lid on.
  • Remove the lid and cook for a further minute, making sure the crêpe is crisp and golden. Fold the crêpe in half, serve or set aside. Repeat this process with the remaining shallots, batter and other ingredients to make the rest of the crêpes. Serve with your leaves and dipping sauce on the side.

Nutrition

Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 2011mg | Potassium: 519mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1305IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 3mg

Vietnamese: Simple Vietnamese Food To Cook At Home by Uyen Luu is published by Hardie Grant. Photography by Uyen Luu.

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Vietnamese: Simple Vietnamese Food to Cook at Home
  • Amazon Kindle Edition
  • Luu, Uyen (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

 

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