Crispy Pork and Shrimp Crepe
Vietnamese banh xeo — a thin, golden turmeric-rice flour crepe sizzled until shatteringly crisp, filled with seasoned pork, shrimp, bean sprouts, and scallions. Wrapped in lettuce and dipped in nuoc cham to eat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice flour
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 4 scallions (for batter), thinly sliced
- 1/2 lb pork belly or pork shoulder, thinly sliced
- 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled, deveined
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups fresh bean sprouts
- 1/4 cup neutral oil
- 2 heads butter lettuce or green leaf lettuce, leaves separated
- 1 cup fresh mint and perilla (or Thai basil)
- 1/4 cup fish sauce (for nuoc cham)
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp sugar (for nuoc cham)
- 1/4 cup warm water (for nuoc cham)
- 2 fresh red chili, sliced
Instructions
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1
Make the nuoc cham: combine 1/4 cup fish sauce (for nuoc cham), 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 2 tbsp sugar (for nuoc cham), and 1/4 cup warm water (for nuoc cham) and stir until sugar dissolves. Add 2 sliced fresh red chili. Set aside.
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2
Make the crepe batter: whisk 1 cup rice flour, 1 cup full-fat coconut milk, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 tsp ground turmeric together until smooth. Stir in 4 thinly sliced scallions (for batter). Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
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3
Season 1/2 lb thinly sliced pork belly or pork shoulder and 1 lb peeled, deveined medium shrimp with 2 tbsp fish sauce, 4 cloves minced garlic cloves, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
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4
Heat a 10-inch non-stick skillet over high heat. Add a drizzle of 1/4 cup neutral oil. Add a few slices of pork and cook 1 minute. Add a few shrimp and cook until pink and just cooked through to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
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5
Pour a ladleful of batter into the pan, swirling quickly to coat the bottom in a thin layer. Add a handful of 2 cups fresh bean sprouts on one half of the crepe. Cover with a lid and cook for 2 minutes.
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6
Remove the lid and cook uncovered for another 2-3 minutes until the edges are crisp and lacey and the bottom is golden. Fold the crepe in half over the sprouts. Slide onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, pork, and shrimp.
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7
Serve the crepes immediately with 2 heads leaves separated butter lettuce or green leaf lettuce and 1 cup fresh mint and perilla (or Thai basil). To eat: break off a piece of crepe, wrap it in a lettuce leaf with herbs, and dip in the nuoc cham.