Banh xeo, a rustic dish that embodies the culinary soul of Southern Vietnam, has long captivated the hearts of countless food lovers. More than just a delicious meal, banh xeo is a cultural icon, a beautiful feature in the culinary life of Southern Vietnamese people. From bustling street food stalls to upscale restaurants, banh xeo always holds a special place, ready to enchant anyone who savors it. With its golden, crispy crust embracing savory shrimp and pork filling, Southern banh xeo is not just food but an unforgettable culinary experience.
The Origin and Cultural Significance of Southern Banh Xeo
Although banh xeo exists in many regions across Vietnam, it is most associated with the South. The origin of banh xeo remains somewhat of a mystery, but many believe it originated during the French colonial period, influenced by the French crêpe but adapted to suit local tastes and ingredients. The name “banh xeo” itself comes from the sizzling sound “xeo xeo” made when the batter is poured into a hot pan.
Banh xeo is more than just a dish; it embodies deep cultural values. In Southern Vietnamese family meals, banh xeo often appears on special occasions, holidays, or family gatherings. Gathering to make banh xeo, enjoying the hot, crispy dish together has become a cultural beauty, expressing family bonding and affection.
In the South, banh xeo is also associated with the image of skillful and capable women. From selecting fresh ingredients, mixing the batter to perfection, to the skillful technique of making the pancakes, everything reflects the meticulousness, care, and love that women put into each banh xeo. Banh xeo is not just food but also a symbol of the skill, capability, and kind heart of Southern Vietnamese women.
Secrets to Making Crispy, Authentic Southern Banh Xeo
To achieve delicious, crispy, and authentic Southern banh xeo, attention must be paid to every step, from preparing ingredients to cooking techniques. Below are the secrets to making authentic, crispy Southern banh xeo right at home:
Preparing Fresh Ingredients
Fresh ingredients are the most crucial factor determining the quality of banh xeo. To make Southern banh xeo, you need to prepare the following ingredients:
- Banh xeo flour mix: Choose a pre-mixed banh xeo flour to save time and effort. Currently, there are many types of pre-mixed banh xeo flour on the market; you should choose a reputable brand with natural ingredients to ensure the quality of the pancakes.
- Turmeric powder: Turmeric powder not only creates an appealing yellow color for banh xeo but also provides a distinctive aroma and helps make the pancakes extra crispy.
- Shrimp and pork belly: Shrimp and pork belly are the two main ingredients for the filling. Choose fresh shrimp and pork belly with both lean and fat meat so the filling is not dry and has a rich, fatty flavor.
- Mung beans: Whole mung beans, cleaned, soaked until soft, and cooked, add a nutty and nutritious element to the filling.
- Coconut milk: Coconut milk adds richness and a distinctive aroma to Southern banh xeo.
- Beer: Beer helps make banh xeo extra crispy and airy.
- Chicken eggs: Chicken eggs give the pancakes a beautiful yellow color and add richness.
- Green onions, shallots, bean sprouts, carrots: These vegetables add freshness and appealing colors to banh xeo.
- Seasoning: Fish sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, chili, lime…
- Fresh herbs for serving: Lettuce, assorted fresh herbs (fish mint, basil, perilla, Vietnamese mint…), cucumber…
Mixing Banh Xeo Batter – The Key to Crispiness
Mixing the banh xeo batter is a crucial step that determines the crispiness and flavor of the pancakes. The batter ratio can vary depending on the recipe and taste, but below is a suggested basic Southern banh xeo batter ratio:
Batter ingredients:
- 1 package of banh xeo flour mix (about 400g)
- 200ml coconut milk
- 100ml beer
- 200ml water (can be adjusted depending on the thickness of the batter)
- 2 chicken eggs
- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
- Chopped green onions
- Cooked mung beans
Instructions for mixing batter:
- In a large bowl, combine banh xeo flour mix and turmeric powder, mix well.
- Gradually add water, coconut milk, and beer to the bowl of flour, whisk well until the flour is completely dissolved and there are no lumps.
- Crack eggs into the batter, continue to whisk well.
- Add chopped green onions and cooked mung beans to the batter, gently mix.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, let the batter rest for about 30 minutes. Resting the batter helps it expand evenly, making the pancakes crispier and more delicious.
Tip: For extra crispy banh xeo, you can add a little tapioca starch or rice flour to the batter mixture.
Secrets to Savory Banh Xeo Filling
Southern banh xeo filling typically includes shrimp, pork belly, bean sprouts, and onions. To make the filling fragrant and flavorful, you need to prepare and stir-fry the filling correctly:
Ingredient preparation:
- Shrimp: Wash, remove heads, peel, and devein. Can be left whole or halved as desired.
- Pork belly: Wash, slice thinly.
- Onions: Peel, cut into wedges.
- Bean sprouts: Wash, drain.
- Shallots: Peel, finely chop.
Stir-frying the filling:
- Marinate shrimp and pork with a pinch of salt, pepper, and chopped shallots.
- Place a pan over medium heat, add a little cooking oil, heat up.
- Add chopped shallots and sauté until fragrant.
- Add pork belly and stir-fry until cooked through, then add shrimp and stir-fry together until shrimp turn pink.
- Add onions and stir-fry quickly until just cooked.
- Season with salt, pepper, sugar, fish sauce, etc., to taste.
- Add bean sprouts and stir-fry quickly, then turn off the heat. Stir-fry bean sprouts last to keep them crispy.
Banh Xeo Cooking Technique – Thin, Crispy, and Delicious
The technique of making banh xeo requires skill and experience. To make banh xeo thin and crispy, follow these steps:
- Choose a pan: Use a cast iron pan or a deep non-stick pan for making banh xeo. Cast iron pans retain heat well, helping the pancakes cook evenly and become crispier.
- Heat the pan: Place the pan over medium-high heat, heat thoroughly. Add enough cooking oil to the pan, coat the entire surface of the pan evenly.
- Pour the batter: When the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir the batter well before pouring. Ladle a scoop of batter into the center of the pan, quickly tilt and swirl the pan to spread the batter thinly and evenly across the pan surface, making the layer as thin as possible.
- Add filling: When the batter begins to set, add the banh xeo filling (shrimp, pork, bean sprouts, onions) to the center of the pancake.
- Cover with a lid: Cover the pan with a lid for about 1-2 minutes to cook the pancake evenly and heat the filling.
- Open the lid, add oil: Open the lid, drizzle a little more cooking oil around the edge of the pancake to make it extra crispy and easy to remove.
- Fold the pancake: When the banh xeo is golden brown and crispy, use a spatula to fold the pancake in half.
- Remove the pancake: Remove the banh xeo from the pan and place it on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Tips:
- To prevent banh xeo from sticking to the pan, heat the pan thoroughly before pouring the batter and use a good non-stick pan.
- When pouring the batter, pour quickly and spread evenly to make the pancake thin and crispy.
- Do not pour too much batter into the pan, the pancake will be thick and not crispy.
- To keep banh xeo crispy for a long time, eat it hot immediately after cooking.
Banh Xeo Dipping Sauce – The Soul of the Dish
Banh xeo dipping sauce is an indispensable element, contributing to the distinctive and appealing flavor of the dish. Southern banh xeo dipping sauce is typically sweet, sour, salty, and spicy, harmonious and flavorful.
Banh xeo dipping sauce recipe:
- 3 tablespoons good quality fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons lime juice (or calamansi juice)
- 5 tablespoons water
- Minced garlic and chili (to taste)
Instructions:
- In a bowl, combine sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, and water, stir well until sugar is completely dissolved.
- Add minced garlic and chili, stir gently.
- Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference for sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors.
Tips:
- For a richer dipping sauce, you can add a pinch of MSG (optional).
- Depending on your taste, you can adjust the ratio of ingredients to make a suitable dipping sauce.
- Banh xeo dipping sauce is best when it is perfectly balanced and has all the harmonious sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors.
Enjoying Southern Banh Xeo the Authentic Way
Southern banh xeo is best enjoyed hot, freshly made. When enjoying banh xeo, you should:
- Cut the pancake: Use scissors to cut the banh xeo into bite-sized pieces.
- Wrap the pancake: Take a piece of banh xeo and wrap it with fresh herbs like lettuce, assorted herbs, fish mint, perilla, etc.
- Dip in sauce: Dip the wrapped banh xeo into the prepared dipping sauce.
- Enjoy: Savor the crispy crust, the savory shrimp and pork filling, the freshness of the herbs, and the harmonious sweet, sour, and spicy dipping sauce blending together.
Southern banh xeo is often served with pickled vegetables (carrots, white radish pickled in sweet and sour brine) to enhance the flavor and reduce richness.
Close-up of crispy Southern Vietnamese Banh Xeo pancake
Delicious Variations of Southern Banh Xeo
Southern banh xeo not only has the traditional shrimp and pork filling version but also many other appealing variations, catering to diverse tastes of diners:
- Vegetarian banh xeo: The filling is made from vegetables such as mushrooms, mung beans, jicama, bean sprouts… Vegetarian banh xeo is an excellent choice for vegetarians or those wanting a change of pace.
- Banh xeo tom nhay (jumping shrimp banh xeo): Uses fresh, live shrimp that are still jumping when poured into the pancake. Banh xeo tom nhay is famous in the Mekong Delta, especially Ben Tre.
- Banh xeo hen (mussel banh xeo): The filling includes sautéed mussels, creating a distinctive sweet flavor. Banh xeo hen is a specialty of Hue, the ancient capital.
- Banh xeo oc (snail banh xeo): The filling includes sautéed apple snails or river snails, offering a fragrant and unique flavor.
In addition, there are many other banh xeo variations such as squid banh xeo, eel banh xeo, chicken banh xeo… Each type of banh xeo has its own unique flavor, but all retain the characteristic of Southern banh xeo: crispy crust, savory filling, served with fresh herbs and sweet and sour dipping sauce.
Conclusion
Southern banh xeo is not only a delicious dish but also a part of culture, a beautiful feature in Vietnamese cuisine. With the recipe and cooking secrets shared above, hopefully, you can make delicious, crispy, and authentic Southern banh xeo at home to treat your family and friends. Let’s explore and enjoy this special dish to fully experience the culinary essence of Southern Vietnam.