Bánh Xèo — Vietnamese Sizzling Rice Pancakes

Ingredients

Contains shellfish, fish, tree-nut. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.

Method

1. 1

   Rinse split mung beans under cold water until water runs clear.

2. 2

   Place mung beans in a small saucepan with 1 cup water and bring to a simmer, then cook until tender but not mushy.

   12 min
3. 3

   Drain cooked mung beans and set aside.

4. 4

   Whisk rice flour, turmeric and salt in a large bowl to combine.

5. 5

   Add coconut milk, water and sliced green onion to the flour and whisk until smooth and thin enough to coat the back of a spoon.

6. 6

   Let the batter rest at room temperature so the flour hydrates and the turmeric blooms.

   20 min
7. 7

   Pat pork slices dry and season lightly with 1/4 tsp salt.

8. 8

   Heat a 10–12-inch nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon oil.

9. 9

   Sear pork slices in the hot skillet just until cooked through, about 1–2 minutes per side; transfer pork to a plate.

   4 min
10. 10

    Add another 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and cook shrimp until pink and opaque, about 1–2 minutes per side; transfer shrimp to the plate with pork.

    4 min
11. 11

    Wipe the skillet clean, return to medium-high heat, and add 1 teaspoon oil to coat.

12. 12

    Pour about 1/3 cup of batter into the hot skillet and tilt the pan to spread it into a thin round (batter should lace the pan),

13. 13

    Scatter a quarter of the cooked mung beans, a few slices of pork, 3 shrimp and a handful of bean sprouts over half of the pancake, then drizzle a little extra oil around the edges.

14. 14

    Cook the pancake until the edges are lacy and crisp and the center sets, about 3–4 minutes; if steam builds up, lower heat to medium.

    4 min
15. 15

    Fold the pancake in half with a spatula and slide it onto a warm plate. Repeat the batter-and-fill process to make 4 large pancakes (add more oil as needed).

    12 min
16. 16

    While pancakes cook, whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, water, minced garlic and sliced chili to make the nước chấm; taste and adjust balance.

17. 17

    Arrange pancakes, lettuce leaves, herbs and lime wedges on a platter; to eat, break off pieces of pancake, wrap in lettuce (or rice paper) with herbs, and dip into nước chấm.