Crispy turmeric rice-flour crepes filled with pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts, wrapped in lettuce and fresh herbs.
Banh xeo, meaning 'sizzling cake' for the sound the batter makes hitting a hot pan, is a beloved Southern Vietnamese street food — a thin, crisp crepe made from rice flour and turmeric, filled with pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts, then folded in half like an omelet. The turmeric gives the batter its signature golden color and a subtle earthy flavor rather than heavy spice. The batter must rest so the rice flour hydrates properly, and the pan needs to be very hot with a thin layer of oil so the crepe fries rather than steams, developing the crisp, almost lacy edges that define a good banh xeo. A touch of coconut milk in the batter, common in Southern Vietnamese versions, adds richness and helps the crepe crisp further. It's always eaten by hand: torn into pieces, wrapped in lettuce and fresh herbs like mint and perilla, then dipped in nuoc cham, the ubiquitous Vietnamese dipping sauce of fish sauce, lime, sugar, and chile.
Serves 4
Whisk rice flour, cornstarch, turmeric, coconut milk, water, sliced scallions, and salt until smooth. Rest at room temperature 30 minutes.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pork belly 3-4 minutes until starting to crisp, then add shrimp and cook 2 minutes until pink. Remove and set aside.
Wipe the pan and add 1-2 tbsp oil, heating until shimmering hot over medium-high heat.
Ladle about 1/2 cup batter into the pan, swirling immediately to spread it thin across the surface.
Scatter a portion of the cooked pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts over half the crepe. Cover and cook 2-3 minutes until the edges crisp and turn golden.
Uncover, fold the crepe in half over the filling, and press gently. Cook 1-2 minutes more, uncovered, until the bottom is deeply crisp.
Slide onto a plate and repeat with remaining batter and fillings. Serve with lettuce leaves, fresh herbs, and nuoc cham for wrapping and dipping.
Rest the batter the full 30 minutes; skipping this makes the crepes taste gummy instead of properly crisp.
Keep the pan very hot before pouring the batter — a lukewarm pan produces a soft, pale crepe instead of a crisp golden one.
Don't crowd the filling; a thin, even layer lets the crepe fold cleanly and cook through without turning soggy in the middle.
Add sliced mushrooms or mung bean paste for a vegetarian version, using coconut milk in place of the meat entirely.
Make mini versions in a smaller pan for easier flipping and folding.
Serve with pickled daikon and carrot alongside the fresh herbs for extra crunch and acidity.
Best eaten fresh and hot, as the crepe loses its crispness quickly. Leftover batter keeps refrigerated up to 2 days, whisked well before using.
Banh xeo is believed to have Southern Vietnamese and possibly Cham origins, with its name and turmeric-tinted batter drawing comparisons to South Indian dosa, reflecting historic trade connections along coastal Vietnam.
The pan likely wasn't hot enough, or too much batter was used, making the crepe too thick to crisp properly.
Yes, substitute with water or regular milk, though you'll lose some of the richness and crisping quality coconut milk provides.
A dipping sauce of fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, water, garlic, and fresh chile, easily made at home and essential to eating banh xeo properly.
Per serving (280g / 9.9 oz) · 4 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes
Have feedback or need help?
We read every email and reply within 1–2 business days.
© 2026 MyCookingCalendar. All rights reserved.
