What it is
Bánh xèo is a large crepe of rice flour, turmeric and coconut milk, filled with shrimp, pork and bean sprouts and folded over. The name is onomatopoeic — xèo is the sound the batter makes hitting the pan. You tear off a piece, wrap it in mustard leaf and herbs, and dip it in nước chấm.
What makes a good one
Crispness is everything, and it has a short half-life. The edges should be lacy and audibly brittle; a bendy bánh xèo has either sat too long or been made with too much batter. The greens plate matters as much as the crepe — it should be generous, cold and varied, because the dish is assembled by you, not served finished.
Regional variation
Southern versions are large and coconut-rich. Central Vietnamese versions are smaller and thicker. Bánh khọt is the miniature relative: small round cakes cooked in a dimpled pan, each with a shrimp on top.
Common questions
- Is bánh xèo good for delivery?
- Honestly, no — steam in a closed container softens the crust within minutes, and the crust is the dish. We mark it as travelling poorly and put pickup first on this one.
- Can it be vegetarian?
- Yes, with tofu and mushroom instead of shrimp and pork. The batter itself contains no meat, and the choice is on the dish.