Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Sizzling Turmeric Rice Crepe with Shrimp)

Quick answer

Total time: 38 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 7

About this dish

Banh xeo takes its name from the sizzling sound the batter makes when it hits a hot, oiled pan.

A thin pour of rice flour, coconut milk, and turmeric crisps into a lacy, golden shell with a shatteringly crisp edge. Shrimp, sliced pork, and bean sprouts fill one half before the crepe folds over. In southern Vietnam, banh xeo are plate-sized and served with a tall pile of lettuce, fresh herbs, and pickled carrots. How you eat matters as much as how it is cooked: tear off a piece, wrap it in a lettuce leaf with mint and perilla, dip in nuoc cham, and eat in one bite. The contrast between the hot, oily crunch of the crepe and the cool, raw freshness of the herbs is what makes this dish worth eating. Northern versions are smaller and more compact, but the principle remains the same.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

rice flour150 gg

coconut milk180 mlml

turmeric powder1 tsptsp

shrimp160 gg

bean sprouts120 gg

scallion1 eaea

cooking oil2 tbsptbsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Step

Put 150g rice flour, 180ml coconut milk, and 1 tsp turmeric powder in a bowl.

Whisk until the batter is thin, smooth, and yellow, with no dry flour or lumps left on the sides.
2

Prep

Pat 160g shrimp dry so they sear instead of steaming.

Slice 1 scallion thinly, then rinse 120g bean sprouts and drain them well so they do not make the crepe soggy.
3

Control

Heat a wide pan over high heat for at least 1 minute, then add 1 tbsp cooking oil.

Add the shrimp and stir-fry only until they turn pink on the outside, so they stay tender later.
4

Heat

Add the remaining 1 tbsp cooking oil to the pan.

Stir the batter again before pouring, add a thin layer, and tilt the pan quickly so it spreads wide and the edges begin to bubble.
5

Control

Place the shrimp, bean sprouts, and scallion on one half of the crepe.

Cook over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, until the edges look lacy, dry, and lightly browned, then fold it over.
6

Finish

After folding, cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute more to crisp the bottom.

Transfer it to a plate immediately and serve while crisp.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Turmeric rice batter spread thinly in a hot pan
Finish cue: Add the shrimp and stir-fry only until they turn pink on the outside, so they stay tender later.
Avoid this: Slice 1 scallion thinly, then rinse 120g bean sprouts and drain them well so they do not make the crepe soggy.