Banh xeo wields mass appeal, but the savoury crepe is one of the more complex dishes in the Vietnamese cook’s repertoire.

There is no right or wrong way to make banh xeo but when done right, it should have a thin, crisp, almost lacy shell.

In Vietnam, the size of banh xeo gets larger as one moves further south. And the dipping sauces and accompaniments vary, from my favourite mustard leaves, through to rice paper and even star fruits and figs.

The fillings vary, too. My go-to is fresh bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms and garlic flowers. I also love eating banh xeo in spring, with a bounty of spring vegetables. It is a nice way to shake it up from the pork, prawn, mung bean or bean sprout combo common in Australian Vietnamese restaurants.

I remember watching Mum make banh xeo when I was a child. What I found fascinating then – and that fascination has not diminished over the years – is that Mum always had by the stove a hunk of pork fat, greasy and sticky, ready to be run over the surface of her wok. It left just the right amount of lubrication, in a way that a calculated spoonful of oil or a spray of fat-in-a-can could never do.

A lesson for anyone attempting banh xeo at home: Mum still doesn’t believe she has mastered the craft and spends a good part of every year thinking about the next tweak she can introduce to yield an even crispier and more delicate shell.

Banh xeo

This recipe has been provided by Emily Hua, a Sydney-based Viet Kieu (someone of Vietnamese heritage living in the diaspora), who also helped cook on the book’s photo shoot.

Resist the temptation to overfill your banh xeo; it will make the dish sloppy. Focus on how much batter to pour into your particular pan – practice makes perfect.

INGREDIENTS

Batter

• 200g rice flour
• 6 tbsp cornflour
• 8g ground turmeric
• pinch of sea salt
• 400ml filtered water
• 300ml coconut cream (Kara brand)
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 40g garlic chives, chopped into 1cm lengths
• neutral-flavoured oil, for frying

Filling

• 150g dried split mung beans, soaked in cold water overnight
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 400g Brussels sprouts, quartered
• 250g brown onions, thinly sliced
• 400g winged beans, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• pinch of sea salt
• 300g fresh palm hearts (see note)
• 250g bean sprouts, rinsed

To serve

• 2 heads lettuce, such as butter, cos or mustard lettuce, leaves separated
• 2 bunches mustard leaves
• 1 bunch each of sorrel, mint, Vietnamese mint, fish mint and shiso, leaves picked or whole (see note)
• nuoc cham (recipe below)

METHOD

1. Prepare the batter. Place the rice flour, cornflour, turmeric and salt in a large bowl and mix until well combined. Add the water, coconut cream and coconut oil and mix well to ensure there are no powdery clumps. The batter should be homogenous and thin, with a yellow tinge from the turmeric. If required, add a little more water to loosen the batter. Stir in the garlic chives, then set aside to rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
2. Prepare the fillings and serving garnishes. Steam the mung beans for about 12 minutes, until soft, then set aside.
3. In a wok, heat the vegetable oil over medium–high heat. Stir-fry the Brussels sprouts, onion, winged beans and garlic with a pinch of salt for 3–4 minutes until just cooked. Remove from the heat and set aside, along with the palm hearts and bean sprouts.
4. Arrange your leafy wrappings and herbs on a platter, ready for serving, and pour the nuoc cham (see recipe) into individual dipping bowls.
5. Cook the batter. Arrange your frying oil, batter and fillings so they are easily accessible from the stove – banh xeo happens quickly.
6. Using your best non-stick frying pan or wok on the largest flame or highest heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to evenly coat the pan. Discard the excess oil.
7. Swirl roughly 120ml of batter into the pan to evenly coat it. Turn down the heat and cook for 3-4 minutes. While the banh xeo cooks, add a drizzle of oil around the edges. This will help it become crispier and pull away from the pan.
8. In the centre of one side of the banh xeo, add roughly 75g of stir-fried vegetable mix, and about 50g of bean sprouts and palm hearts.
9. Using a flat spatula, fold the banh xeo into a half moon. Let it cook for an additional minute.
10. Gently slide it out from the wok and serve immediately. Repeat with the remaining batter and fillings.
11. To eat: Break off some of the banh xeo with your hands, making sure to get some filling. Add it to a lettuce leaf along with your choice of herbs, roll it up, then dip into your nuoc cham. The idea is to master the art of wrapping because the banh xeo will disappear fast!

Makes 8–10

Notes:

• If fresh palm hearts are unavailable, use canned palm hearts. Pick a brand with a lower sodium content and drain thoroughly. Tinned palm hearts are much softer in texture than fresh ones, so don’t cut them too finely.
• If you can’t find sorrel, Vietnamese mint, fish mint or shiso, any soft herbs such as flat-leaf parsley, sweet basil, or dill would be great.

Nuoc cham

Make a sizeable batch and keep it in your fridge, adding aromatics such as fresh chilli and garlic paste or fresh citrus juice (lemons or limes) as required.

INGREDIENTS

• 250ml (1 cup) rice vinegar
• 250ml (1 cup) fish sauce
• 250ml (1 cup) water
• 250g sugar

METHOD

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to the boil, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface.
2. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
3. Pour into a sterilised jar and seal. Your nuoc cham base will keep for up to 4 months in the fridge, to use as required.

Makes about 750ml (3 cups)

This is an edited extract from Viet Kieu by Thi Le with Jia-Yen Lee, photography by Mark Chew. Published by Murdoch Books, RRP $55.