Crispy Vietnamese Crepes: Banh Xeo
Homemade Vietnamese Delight: Mastering the Art of Crispy Banh Xeo with Nuoc Cham Sauce
Experience the authentic taste of Vietnam right in your kitchen! This recipe for Banh Xeo will transport you back to your travels. I used to make this myself with pre-made flour mixes because it was so hard to find in Korea back then. Now, you can recreate that delightful crispy exterior and savory filling with this easy-to-follow guide.
Banh Xeo Batter & Filling Ingredients- 2 cups Banh Xeo mix flour
- A small amount of bell peppers (red, yellow), thinly julienned
- 1/3 carrot, thinly julienned
- 1/3 onion, thinly julienned
- 150g thinly sliced beef (for bulgogi)
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- Pinch of black pepper
- 4 Tbsp fish sauce
- 4 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 handful of shrimp (medium-sized, peeled and deveined)
- 1 egg
- 1 handful of bean sprouts
Spicy & Sweet Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce Ingredients- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Thai chili pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp vinegar
- 50ml water
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Thai chili pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp vinegar
- 50ml water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Let’s start by making the delicious Nuoc Cham sauce. In a bowl, combine 2 Tbsp fish sauce, 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 thinly sliced Thai chili pepper, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 Tbsp vinegar, and 50ml water. Stir well until the sugar is dissolved. Your flavorful dipping sauce is ready!
Step 2
Heat 2-3 tablespoons of cooking oil in a wide pan over medium-low heat. Add chopped green onions and sauté until fragrant, infusing the oil with a wonderful aroma. This aromatic oil is the foundation of your Banh Xeo’s flavor.
Step 3
Once the green onion oil is fragrant, add the julienned bell peppers, carrots, and 2 Tbsp minced garlic. Stir-fry over high heat for a short time to keep the vegetables crisp and vibrant.
Step 4
Add the julienned onion towards the end of cooking; it will become too soft if overcooked. Lightly sauté it to maintain a pleasant crunch.
Step 5
Add the thinly sliced beef and cook until it’s no longer pink. Sprinkle with a pinch of black pepper to enhance the flavor and remove any gaminess.
Step 6
Stir in 4 Tbsp oyster sauce and mix well with all the ingredients. Then, add the cleaned shrimp and cook until they turn pink.
Step 7
Finally, add 4 Tbsp fish sauce and stir-fry briefly to ensure the seasoning is evenly distributed.
Step 8
Add a generous handful of bean sprouts and stir-fry just until they begin to wilt slightly, maintaining their crisp texture. Overcooking will release too much moisture, making the Banh Xeo soggy.
Step 9
In a separate bowl, crack 1 egg and whisk it well with a fork or whisk until fluffy. This creates a scrambled egg topping for your Banh Xeo filling, adding extra appeal.
Step 10
If there’s a lot of liquid released from the vegetables and bean sprouts during cooking, periodically carefully dab the pan bottom with paper towels or quickly boil down the excess liquid over high heat. This prevents the filling from becoming too watery. Your delicious Banh Xeo filling is now complete!
Step 11
Here’s the Banh Xeo mix flour I used for this recipe.
Step 12
You can easily find this Banh Xeo flour online. Even if it’s written in Vietnamese, the word ‘Banh Xeo’ should give you a clue as to its purpose.
Step 13
Now it’s time to cook the Banh Xeo crepe. Add a generous amount of cooking oil to the pan and heat it until it’s shimmering, almost smoking slightly. Once the oil is hot, pour in a ladleful of the diluted Banh Xeo batter and spread it thinly to cover the pan. Fry it until golden brown and crispy, almost like deep-frying.
Step 14
Once the batter covers about half of the pan and is thin, spoon the prepared Banh Xeo filling onto one half of the crepe in a crescent shape. Be careful not to overfill, as this can cause the crepe to break when folded.
Step 15
For extra flair, you can add pineapple chunks or a few more shrimp on top. (Pineapple was not mentioned in the original recipe, so this step is optional.)
Step 16
The key to perfect Banh Xeo is to fry the crepe until it’s wonderfully crisp. If the batter isn’t sufficiently crispy, it will crumble easily when folded or eaten. Ensure the edges turn a beautiful golden brown and are crisp to the touch.
Step 17
When the edges of the crepe start to turn golden brown and crisp, fold the Banh Xeo in half to ensure the filling is heated through and the crepe is fully cooked. Covering with a lid for a short period can help the filling cook evenly. Your delicious Banh Xeo, with a crispy exterior and moist interior, is now ready to enjoy!
