Name: Bánh xèo tôm Vietnamese pancakes
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Makes 6
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 100g rice flour (non-glutinous); 1 heaped tsp ground turmeric; 200ml coconut milk; 1 spring onion thinly sliced; ½ tsp sea salt flakes; a pinch caster sugar; vegetable or coconut oil for frying; 2 round shallots thinly sliced; 200g shelled king prawns de-veined and halved; 100g bean sprouts; 50g garlic chives or coriander (optional); lettuce leaves large handful; 3 spring onions cut into short lengths; a few handfuls Asian herbs (such as coriander, thai sweet basil, garden mint, perilla and cockscomb); 2 bird’s-eye chillies finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic finely chopped; 3 tbsp caster sugar; 3 tbsp white wine vinegar; 4 tbsp fish sauce

100g rice flour (non-glutinous)
1 heaped tsp ground turmeric
200ml coconut milk
1 spring onion
thinly sliced
½ tsp sea salt flakes
a pinch caster sugar

FILLING

vegetable or coconut oil
for frying
2 round shallots
thinly sliced
200g shelled king prawns
de-veined and halved
100g bean sprouts
50g garlic chives or coriander
(optional)

TO SERVE

lettuce leaves
large handful
3 spring onions
cut into short lengths
a few handfuls Asian herbs
(such as coriander, thai sweet basil, garden mint, perilla and cockscomb)

DIPPING SAUCE (NƯỚC MẤM)

2 bird’s-eye chillies
finely chopped
2 cloves garlic
finely chopped
3 tbsp caster sugar
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 tbsp fish sauce

Method

step 1
To make the crêpe batter, mix together the flour, turmeric, coconut milk, the spring onion, salt, sugar and 200ml of water in a bowl until smooth and free of lumps. It should have the consistency of single cream.
step 2
To make the filling, heat 1 tsp of oil in a 20cm lidded non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry a few slices of shallot until golden. Season the prawns with salt and pepper, then put a few of them in the pan, stirring for 1 minute.
step 3
Using a shallow ladle, pour in a thin layer of the batter, swirling the pan to cover all around the edges. Add a handful of the bean sprouts and garlic chives, then cover the pan with the lid. Allow to cook for 2 minutes with the lid on.
step 4
Remove the lid and cook for a further minute, making sure the crêpe is crisp and golden. Fold the crêpe in half, serve or set aside. Repeat this process with the remaining shallots, batter and other ingredients to make the rest of the crêpes.
step 5
To make the dipping sauce, mix together all of the ingredients with 80ml of water. Serve alongside the crêpes, with the lettuce, spring onions and herbs.