Bánh Xèo: The Sizzling Turmeric Crepe

Bánh xèo means "sizzling cake", named for the sound the batter makes when it hits a hot pan. It is a thin, crisp, turmeric-yellow crepe folded around shrimp, pork and bean sprouts, eaten by tearing off pieces and wrapping them in lettuce.

What it is

A batter of rice flour, coconut milk, water and turmeric, poured thin into a very hot pan with a slick of oil. While it crisps, the cook scatters in halved shrimp, slices of pork belly, sometimes mung beans, and a heap of bean sprouts. The crepe is folded in half like an omelette and slid onto a plate. Around it: a mountain of lettuce, mustard greens, mint, perilla and rice paper, plus a bowl of fish-sauce dip (nước chấm).

Origin and history

The dish is recorded from the 17th century onwards in central and southern Vietnam. The Cham minority of central Vietnam have a similar pancake and the dish probably evolved from that tradition. The southern version grew larger and more lavish as the Mekong delta industrialised rice and coconut production.

Where to try it

In HCMC, Bánh Xèo 46A at 46A Đinh Công Tráng, District 1, has been the standard reference since the 1970s; expect 100,000 VND for a large crepe. In Đà Nẵng, Bánh Xèo Bà Dưỡng on Hoàng Diệu serves smaller central-style crepes for around 50,000 VND. In Huế, the local variant is called bánh khoái — smaller, thicker, with a peanut-based dip instead of nước chấm.

How to eat it

Tear off a piece of the crepe with chopsticks. Lay it on a lettuce leaf, add fresh herbs, roll the lettuce around it, dip the whole bundle in the fish-sauce dip and eat in one or two bites. Do not eat the crepe straight from the plate with a knife and fork — you will lose the texture contrast that makes it work.

Regional variations

Southern bánh xèo is large (about the size of a dinner plate), thin, very crisp, golden from turmeric and coconut. Central versions are smaller, thicker, eaten more often. Northern bánh xèo barely exists. The central bánh khoái of Huế has its own peanut-liver dipping sauce and is usually served with cucumber and green starfruit alongside the herbs.

Honest take

Bánh xèo is a social dish — easier with two or more people, awkward alone. It is also one of the more forgiving Vietnamese dishes for the chilli-averse, since the spice lives in the dip rather than the filling.

Related reading: Gỏi cuốn, Central and southern cuisine, Đà Nẵng food guide, Huế food guide, Street food etiquette.