Banh Xeo (Crispy Vietnamese Turmeric Crepes)

Name: Banh Xeo (Crispy Vietnamese Turmeric Crepes)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 1¼ cups (175 g) plain rice flour; 1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric; 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar; ¾ tsp (4 g) fine salt; 1 cup (240 ml) full-fat canned coconut milk, shaken well before opening; 1 cup (240 ml) cold water; 3 whole (45 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts; 10½ oz (300 g) medium shrimp (31–40 per lb), peeled, deveined, tails removed, patted dry (about 24 shrimp); 6 oz (170 g) skinless pork belly or pork shoulder, sliced into very thin bite-size slices (about 18 slices), lightly salted; 1 small (120 g) yellow onion, halved and sliced into thin half-moons; 4 cups (300 g) fresh bean sprouts, rinsed and well drained; 6 tbsp (90 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or canola); 1 large head (300 g) green leaf or butter lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried; 2 cups (60 g) mixed fresh herbs (mint, Thai basil, cilantro), leaves picked, washed and dried; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fish sauce; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lime juice, strained; 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar; ½ cup (120 ml) warm water; 1 clove (4 g) garlic, finely minced; 1 small (3 g) Thai bird chile, thinly sliced (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Golden, lacy-edged rice flour crepes tinted with turmeric and enriched with coconut milk, folded around juicy shrimp, pork and crunchy bean sprouts. Wrap each wedge in lettuce with fresh herbs and dunk it in tangy nuoc cham.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 40 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 40 min
Makes: 6 large crepes (serves 4)

Save to My Kitchen Jump to recipe

Ingredients

4 servings

For the batter
1¼ cups (175 g) plain rice flour
1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric
1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar
¾ tsp (4 g) fine salt
1 cup (240 ml) full-fat canned coconut milk, shaken well before opening
1 cup (240 ml) cold water
3 whole (45 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts
For the filling
10½ oz (300 g) medium shrimp (31–40 per lb), peeled, deveined, tails removed, patted dry (about 24 shrimp)
6 oz (170 g) skinless pork belly or pork shoulder, sliced into very thin bite-size slices (about 18 slices), lightly salted
1 small (120 g) yellow onion, halved and sliced into thin half-moons
4 cups (300 g) fresh bean sprouts, rinsed and well drained
6 tbsp (90 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
To serve
1 large head (300 g) green leaf or butter lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried
2 cups (60 g) mixed fresh herbs (mint, Thai basil, cilantro), leaves picked, washed and dried
For the nuoc cham
3 tbsp (45 ml) fish sauce
3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lime juice, strained
3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar
½ cup (120 ml) warm water
1 clove (4 g) garlic, finely minced
1 small (3 g) Thai bird chile, thinly sliced (optional)

Equipment (6)

10-inch (25 cm) nonstick skillet with a lid
Large mixing bowl and whisk
Thin flexible spatula
Baking sheet with wire rack (for keeping crepes warm and crisp)
Small bowl for the dipping sauce
Ladle or ⅓-cup (80 ml) measuring cup

Steps

Before you start

Use plain rice flour (not glutinous or sweet rice flour). Check the label; it is often sold in a white bag with a red or green lid at Asian grocers.
The batter must rest 30 minutes, so start it first and prep everything else while it sits.
Have all fillings, herbs and the dipping sauce ready before you turn on the stove. Each crepe cooks quickly and needs your full attention.
Use a 10-inch (25 cm) nonstick skillet with a lid. A well-seasoned carbon steel pan also works.

1
Whisk the batter
- In a large bowl, whisk the rice flour, turmeric, sugar and salt together.
- Pour in the coconut milk and cold water and whisk for about 1 minute until completely smooth with no dry pockets.
- Stir in the sliced scallions.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Batter is bright yellow, lump-free and thin, like heavy cream.
Tip: Shake the coconut milk can well first, or the fat will sit in clumps and make the batter uneven.
2
Rest the batter
- Cover the bowl and let the batter rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Use this time to make the sauce and prep the filling.
- Whisk the batter again before using, as the rice flour settles quickly.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Batter looks slightly thicker on the bottom; whisking returns it to a pourable, thin consistency.
Tip: Re-whisk before every crepe, since the flour sinks to the bottom.
3
Make the nuoc cham
- In a small bowl, stir the sugar into the warm water until fully dissolved.
- Add the fish sauce and lime juice, then the garlic and chile (if using).
- Taste: it should be balanced between salty, sweet and sour.
- Add a little more sugar or lime if needed.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: No sugar granules remain and the sauce tastes bright and balanced.
Tip: The sauce will taste strong on its own, but it mellows once the crepe and herbs are dipped in it.
4
Prep fillings and platter
- Divide the shrimp into 6 groups of 4.
- Divide the pork into 6 groups of 3 slices.
- Put the onion, bean sprouts and oil within easy reach of the stove.
- Arrange the lettuce and herbs on a large platter for the table.
+ Show details− Hide details
Tip: Pat the shrimp very dry so they sear instead of steaming and don't make the batter soggy.
5
Heat the oven and panOven 200°F / 95°C
- Heat the oven to 200°F (95°C) and set a wire rack on a baking sheet inside to keep finished crepes warm.
- Place the 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until a drop of batter sizzles on contact.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: A drop of batter sizzles immediately.
Tip: A properly hot pan is what creates the lacy, crisp edges.
6
Sear pork and shrimp
- Add 2 teaspoons of oil to the hot pan.
- Add one group of pork slices (3) and one group of shrimp (4) in a single layer.
- Cook for about 45 seconds, turning once, until the pork edges begin to brown and the shrimp turn pink on the outside.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Shrimp are pink on both sides and pork is lightly browned.
Tip: The fillings finish cooking inside the crepe, so don't cook them completely here.
7
Pour batter and steam
- Re-whisk the batter.
- Pour in a scant ⅓ cup (80 ml) all at once while tilting and swirling the pan so the batter coats the base and creeps up the sides in a thin layer.
- It should sizzle loudly.
- Immediately cover with the lid and cook for 2 minutes, until the surface looks set and the edges lift slightly.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Top is no longer wet and edges curl from the pan.
Tip: If the batter doesn't sizzle when it hits the pan, lift the pan off the heat briefly and re-heat before the next crepe.
8
Add vegetables and crisp
- Remove the lid and drizzle 1 teaspoon of oil around the edge of the crepe.
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Scatter about 2 tablespoons of onion and a loose ½ cup (about 50 g) of bean sprouts over one half.
- Cook for 3 to 4 minutes without moving, until the underside is deep golden and the edges are lacy and crisp.
- Fold the crepe in half with a spatula.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Crepe slides freely in the pan and sounds crackly when tapped with the spatula. Shrimp reach 145°F (63°C) and pork 145°F (63°C).
Tip: Don't flip it. The underside crisping is what gives banh xeo its signature crunch.
9
Repeat and keep warmOven 200°F / 95°C
- Slide the folded crepe onto the rack in the oven.
- Wipe out the pan if there are burnt bits, then repeat steps 6 to 8 with the remaining shrimp, pork, batter and vegetables to make 6 crepes total.
- Re-whisk the batter every time.
- There may be a little batter left over.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Each crepe is golden, crisp at the edges, and holds its shape when lifted.
Tip: Keep crepes on a rack, never stacked or covered, or the steam will turn them soft.
10
Serve and wrap
- Cut each crepe in half or into wedges.
- Serve right away with the lettuce and herb platter and the nuoc cham.
- To eat, tear off a piece of crepe, wrap it in a lettuce leaf with herbs, and dip it in the sauce.
+ Show details− Hide details
Tip: Eat while the crepes are still hot and crackling for the best texture.

Good to know

Tips

Use a hot pan and pour batter quickly in one motion; a thin coating is what makes the crepe crisp instead of floppy.
Thin batter equals crisp crepes. If your batter seems thick (like pancake batter), whisk in water 1 tablespoon at a time.
Cook two crepes at once in two pans to speed things up, and keep them on a rack in the oven, not stacked.
Don't skip the rest time. Un-rested rice flour batter can be gritty and brittle.

Make ahead

The batter can be made up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated, covered. Whisk well and let it sit 15 minutes at room temperature before cooking. The nuoc cham keeps for 1 week in the fridge (add the garlic and chile fresh if you prefer a sharper flavor).

Storage & reheating

Best eaten immediately. Leftover crepes keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days (store lettuce and herbs separately). Reheat in a dry nonstick skillet over medium heat or in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 5 to 8 minutes until crisp again. Not recommended to freeze cooked crepes; texture suffers.

Substitutions

skinless pork belly or pork shoulder → extra shrimp or sliced chicken thigh. Chicken needs to reach 165°F (74°C); cook it a little longer in the sear step.
medium shrimp (31–40 per lb) → pan-fried tofu cubes or sliced mushrooms. For a vegetarian version, also replace the fish sauce with vegetarian fish sauce or soy sauce plus extra lime.
full-fat canned coconut milk → additional water, or half water and half beer. Crepes will be lighter and less rich; beer gives extra crispness.
mixed fresh herbs (mint, Thai basil, cilantro) → perilla, rau răm or just extra mint and cilantro. Use whatever soft herbs you can find; Thai basil adds classic anise notes.