“Banh xeo” is Vietnamese style crepe with whole shrimp, thinly sliced pork and bean sprouts.
Different styles of “banh xeo”
Like
the salad roll, the “banh xeo” is a do-it-yourself dish that involves
the messy but delicious process of wrapping the crepe in lettuce with
cilantro and basil. Though the filling might fall out on your table, you
will be completely lost in the crispy, warm combination of lettuce and
crepe, and the attentive staff will happily clean up after you.
“Banh
xeo” is prepared differently throughout the country. Tourists traveling
about in Vietnam are sure to encounter a different recipe, and
sometimes even a different name, for “banh xeo” depending on which
region and province they are visiting.
These
are a pale yellow spicey Vietnamese style crepe. One piece on the
bottom, and another on top encase what is usually a salad consisting of
been sprouts, prawns, boiled pork, taro and carrot. Drenched in fish
sauce, and you have a deliciously messy slice of fine pleasure. The dish
is round, and you cut it into slices, like a pizza, so it resembles a
triangle on the main platter, but usually by the time it arrives on your
plate, it could resemble anything really.
In the Southern region,
the “banh xeo” is the size of a large dish and yellow in color due to
the employment of turmeric powder. The Southern people always add
coconut milk to the rice flour to make the crepe extra delicious. The
crepe is stuffed with bean sprouts, mung beans, shrimp and pork. A sweet
and sour fish sauce and fresh vegetables are used as accompaniments.
In the Central Region,
“banh xeo” cooks make a smaller crepe that is white in color. In Hue,
the crepes are called “banh khoai”, which is similar to “banh xeo”, but
smaller in size and stuffed with fennel, sour star fruit, green banana
and a thick soy sauce.
In
addition to selling the crepes to patrons, vendors also prepare them en
masse for birthday parties and festivals. Northern preparations of
“banh xeo” are similar to the ones down south, but include special
fillings like slices of Indian taro and manioc. In some regions, “banh
xeo” is prepared thick, but Southern crepes are characteristically thin,
crispy and served fresh out of the frying pan. The secret to extra-thin
crepes is a deep frying pan and a quick wrist to coat the frying pan
with the batter before it starts to set.
Where to enjoy “banh xeo”?
In Hanoi,
there are a lot of addresses for you to enjoy “banh xeo”, such as 22
Hang Bo Street, “Quan Ngon” restaurant at 12 Phan Boi Chau Street or
“Chin Tham” restaurant on Thai Ha Street.
In HCMC,
southern-style “banh xeo” can be found at Banh Xeo 46A on Dinh Cong
Trang Street, District 1 or An la ghien Restaurant at 54A Nguyen Van
Troi Street, Ward 15, Phu Nhuan District. Those seeking a meatless
version of “banh xeo” can find them at vegetarian restaurants on An Lac
Restaurant, 175/15 Pham Ngu Lao Street, District 1, and Thien Nguyen
Restaurant, 174 Calmete street, District 1.
Vietnam Beauty.
