Crispy Vietnamese Pancakes – Banh Xeo {Gluten free}

These Crispy Vietnamese Pancakes. These savoury pancakes also known as Banh Xeo or Happy Pancakes, are Vietnamese street food at it’s best. For real.

These thin, lacy pancakes are served crispy warm, folded over and stuffed full of chicken or pork,  vegetables, crunchy bean sprouts and chillies and fresh cilantro. Traditionally you eat these with your hands and dip torn off pieces into the Vietnamese Dipping sauce that they are served with.

I learnt how to make them in a tiny cooking school in Ho Chi Minh City, and as I whisked together rice flour, turmeric and coconut milk into the Banh Xeo batter I knew I had stumbled onto a good thing. I was hooked after just one bite. 

I love that these pancakes are egg free and gluten free and served full of fresh Vietnamese flavour. The are great served for breakfast, brunch, lunch and for something different for Pancake Day.

Fun fact did you know that Banh Xeo  actually means ‘sizzling cake’ because of the loud sizzling sound the rice batter makes at it is added in to the hot oil?

Banh Xeo Recipe – Why You will Love it

The great thing about these Crispy Banh Xeo is that they are frugal and beyond easy to make. And here are just some of the reasons you will absolutely looooove them:

• They are super affordable and is made entirely of everyday store cupboard staples.
• They are very, very easy to whip up! Mix the better, let stand for a while and fry away. 
• Immensely adaptable. There are virtually limitless ways you can adapt and vary the flavors to suit your tastes and mood. Folks, this is one delicious Banh Xeo recipe that will never be boring.
• It is easy to double or triple the recipe to feed a crowd.
• Prep-ahead Ease. Prep the batter ahead (up to a day ahead) and just fry as your guest arrive or as needed. 

How To Make Vietnamese Pancakes

1. Combine rice flour, turmeric, coconut milk and ice cold water and mix until smooth add a couple more tablespoons of cold water at a time if the batter is too thick.
2.  Set aside for about 1 hr until the batter thickens.
3. Make the dipping sauce (nuoc cham) by combining all the ingredients and set aside.
4. Heat a cast iron pan over high heat and add 1 tsp of oil until sizzling
5. Stir the batter and add some batter to the pan, swirling it round to cover the base of the pan.
6. Cook until the underside is golden. Flip pancake over for a quick 10 seconds.
7. Decant the Vietnamese Pancake onto a plate and spoon in various toppings of your choice and fold over and keep the pancake warm.
8. Continue frying the batter adding in a tsp of oil for each new pancake till all the batter is gone.

Banh Xeo Recipe Tips

• To get these gluten free pancakes nice and crispy, make sure the frying pan is nice and hot before adding in the batter.
• You can add slice green onions or sliced chili directly into the Pancake batter before frying.
• These pancakes need to be served warm to retain that crispiness. So prep the batter ahead and fry when needed.
• You can reheat the pancakes in the microwave, and they are delicious but you
• Feel free to add some chili or garlic to your Nuoc Cham dipping sauce if you want to amp up the heat.

Nuoc Cham— Vietnamese Dipping Sauce

What moves these Vietnamese Crepes from good to beyond awesome is the Nuoc Cham aka Vietnamese Dipping Sauce.

This Vietnamese staple is an insanely delicious sweet and sour sauce that is generally made from a combination of fish sauce, lime juice, water and sugar to which you can add extras like chili for some heat. I have add a Nuoc Cham Recipe here for you try it, and experiment with the amount of ingredients that you add in to your taste.

For another option, I serve this with is a portion of sweet chili sauce and a squeeze of lime and that works a treat.

Vietnamese Crepes Variations

There are one million and one ways to vary the flavors you fill your Vietnamese Crepes . Here are just some of the amaaaazing options;

• Grilled shrimp
• Jalapeño
• Sweetcorn kernels
• Baby spinach
• Roasted zucchini
• Grilled mushrooms
• Crispy fried tofu
• Snow peas
• Fried ground pork

What To Serve With Vietnamese Pancakes

• Sesame Spinach Salad.
• Chili Cucumber Salad.
• Cucumber Tomato Salad.

Get The Vietnamese Pancakes Recipe :

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Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Crispy Vietnamese Pancakes - Banh Xeo

Crispy savoury Vietnamese rice flour and coconut pancakes.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Course: Main

Cuisine: asian

Keyword: Banh Xeo, Vietnamese Pancakes

Servings: 4

Author: Bintu Hardy | Recipes From A Pantry

Ingredients

Pancake batter

• 175 g (1 cup) rice flour
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric. or a bit more if you want a more golden pancake
• Salt
• 240 ml (1 cup) coconut milk
• 180 ml (3/4 cup) ice cold water plus extra if necessary
• Oil for frying

For the filling

• 4 green onion (spring onions) finely sliced
• 400 g of cooked pork or chicken finely sliced
• 150 g of bean sprouts
• Freshly sliced chilli
• Mixed herbs including mint and coriander cilantro
• Lettuce optional

For the dipping sauce (nuoc cham)

• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp line juice
• Chopped chilli to taste
• 1/2 tsp sugar or to taste
• Small pinch of minced garlic optional

Instructions

• Combine all the ingredients for the batter and mix until smooth. Then set aside for about 1 hr until the batter thickens.
• Make the dipping sauce (nuoc cham) by combining all the ingredients and set aside.
• Heat a cast iron pan over high heat and add 1 tsp of oil until sizzling
• Stir the batter and add some batter to the pan, swirling it round to cover the base of the pan.
• Cook until the underside is golden. Flip pancake over for a quick 10 seconds.
• Then decant pancake onto a plate and spoon in various toppings of your choice and fold over and keep the pancake warm.
• Continue frying the batter adding in a tsp of oil for each new pancake till all the batter is gone.
• Serve warm stuffed pancakes with more herbs, a salad and the dipping sauce.

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