Banh Xeo in the Mekong Delta, a renowned culinary gem of the Mekong Delta region, has long captivated food lovers with its distinctive delicious and crispy flavor. While you can enjoy this dish throughout Vietnam, experiencing Banh Xeo right in Can Tho, considered the cradle of Mekong Delta Banh Xeo, holds a special significance. Join “Du lịch khắp thế gian” (Discovery Through Wonders) to explore the secrets to fully enjoying this specialty, and truly appreciate the unique culinary essence of the Mekong Delta.
Mekong Delta Banh Xeo – Can Tho’s Culinary Gem Captivating Visitors
Mekong Delta Banh Xeo is more than just a dish; it’s a distinctive culinary cultural symbol of Can Tho. Unlike Banh Xeo elsewhere, Mekong Delta Banh Xeo carries a unique flavor, from its golden, crispy crust to its rich and diverse filling. The pancake is usually larger than an adult’s hand, with a paper-thin, crispy crust made from rice flour combined with creamy coconut milk and golden turmeric powder.
A golden, crispy, and enticing Mekong Delta Banh Xeo, appealing to all senses
What makes Mekong Delta Banh Xeo particularly special is its diverse and rich filling. Depending on each eatery and family, the filling can be flexibly varied with shrimp, pork, Siamese duck meat, river prawns, straw mushrooms, coconut heart, bean sprouts, mung beans, and even sesbania sesban flowers, creating a unique symphony of flavors that is hard to mistake. The secret to a delicious Banh Xeo lies in the skillful pancake-making technique of the chef. The batter is thinly spread on a hot cast-iron pan over high heat, allowing the pancake to cook quickly, maintain its crispiness, and not absorb oil.
When enjoying Mekong Delta Banh Xeo, fresh and diverse raw vegetables such as lettuce, mustard greens, fish mint, herbs, basil, and especially wild vegetables like lá cóc (hog plum leaves), lá lụa (silk leaves), and mango shoots are indispensable, creating a balance of flavors and being good for health. All are harmoniously combined with a rich, sweet and sour fish sauce, prepared according to a unique recipe, creating an unforgettable culinary experience. Coming to Can Tho, enjoying Mekong Delta Banh Xeo is not just eating a delicious dish, but also discovering a part of the culture, a beauty in the culinary life of the people here.
Secrets to Enjoying Mekong Delta Banh Xeo: From A to Z for Connoisseurs
To fully appreciate the distinctive flavor of Mekong Delta Banh Xeo, the way you enjoy it also plays an extremely important role. Unlike Central Vietnam’s Banh Xeo, which is often wrapped in rice paper, Mekong Delta Banh Xeo is eaten directly by tearing each piece of pancake by hand, rolling it with raw vegetables, and dipping it generously into the sweet and sour fish sauce.
A Mekong Delta Banh Xeo feast filled with fresh vegetables and enticing dipping sauce
How to make the “divine” dipping sauce: The soul of Mekong Delta Banh Xeo lies in the rich dipping sauce, a harmonious blend of sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors. To make a delicious, authentic dipping sauce, you need to prepare:
- Good fish sauce: Choose nhỉ cá cơm (first-press anchovy fish sauce) or nước mắm cá linh (linh fish sauce) for a distinctive rich flavor.
- Sugar: Use white granulated sugar or jaggery to create a delicate sweetness.
- Lemon or tắc (kumquat): Squeeze for natural sourness.
- Chili: Fresh chili or chili sauce, depending on your spice preference.
- Garlic: Minced garlic, fried until fragrant or fresh minced garlic.
- Carrot, white radish: Carved into flowers or thinly shredded, pickled in sweet and sour brine to enhance flavor and attractive color.
- Filtered water: Use warm filtered water to dissolve sugar and spices.
Reference dipping sauce ratio:
- 2 tablespoons good fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons warm water
- 2 tablespoons lemon/kumquat juice
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon minced chili (adjust to taste)
- Pickled sweet and sour carrot and white radish to taste
Enjoying Banh Xeo the right way:
- Tear the pancake: Use your hands to tear a bite-sized piece of Banh Xeo, feeling the crispy crust.
- Roll with vegetables: Pick up a piece of Banh Xeo, place it on top of your favorite raw vegetables, and roll it up to a bite-sized portion.
- Dip in fish sauce: Dip the rolled Banh Xeo generously into the sweet and sour fish sauce, allowing the flavors to blend together.
- Eat hot: Banh Xeo is best when hot, so enjoy it right after it’s made to fully appreciate its crispiness and delicious flavor.
- Savor with friends and family: Mekong Delta Banh Xeo is often enjoyed in a cozy, convivial atmosphere with family and friends.
Enjoying Mekong Delta Banh Xeo with fresh vegetables and rich dipping sauce
Tips:
- To enhance the flavor, you can add a little fried scallion oil to the filling or drizzle it on top of the pancake before eating.
- If you like spicy food, you can add fresh chili or chili sauce to the dipping sauce.
- Besides sweet and sour fish sauce, you can also try dipping Banh Xeo in soy sauce or mắm nêm (fermented fish sauce), depending on your preference.
- Prepare extra napkins or wet wipes because eating Banh Xeo with your hands can be a bit “messy,” but that’s also part of the fun of this culinary experience.
Get Cooking: Crispy, Authentic Mekong Delta Banh Xeo Recipe
If you want to try your hand at making delicious, crispy Mekong Delta Banh Xeo at home, the recipe below will be your secret to success right from the first try.
Ingredients preparation:
- Pancake batter:
- Banh Xeo flour: 500g (choose pre-mixed flour available at supermarkets and markets)
- Coconut milk: 300ml
- Filtered water: 300ml
- Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon
- Scallions: 50g (chopped)
- Salt: 1/2 teaspoon
- Cooking oil
- Filling:
- Tiger prawns: 200g (peeled, deveined)
- Pork belly: 200g (thinly sliced)
- Bean sprouts: 100g
- Onion: 1 (sliced into wedges)
- Split mung beans, peeled: 50g (soaked until soft, steamed until cooked)
- Seasoning: Seasoning powder, pepper, sugar, cooking oil
Fresh ingredients for delicious Mekong Delta Banh Xeo
Instructions:
Step 1: Prepare ingredients
- Marinate prawns and pork belly with a little seasoning powder and pepper for about 15 minutes.
- Slice onion into wedges, chop scallions, wash bean sprouts.
- Wash raw vegetables, soak in diluted salt water, drain.
Step 2: Prepare Banh Xeo batter
- Dissolve Banh Xeo flour with coconut milk and filtered water, add turmeric powder, scallions, salt, stir well until the batter is smooth.
- Let the batter rest for about 30 minutes to allow it to rise, making the pancakes crispier.
Step 3: Stir-fry the filling
- Sauté minced shallots and garlic until fragrant, add pork belly and stir-fry until cooked through, then add prawns and stir-fry until just cooked.
- Add onion, bean sprouts, steamed mung beans and stir-fry quickly, season to taste, turn off the heat.
Step 4: Make Banh Xeo
- Place a pan on the stove, add cooking oil and heat until very hot.
- Ladle a scoop of Banh Xeo batter into the pan, tilt the pan to spread the batter thinly and evenly.
- Add filling (prawns, pork, bean sprouts, onion, mung beans) to the center of the pancake.
- Cover the pan for about 1-2 minutes for the pancake to cook and become crispy.
- When the pancake is golden and crispy, fold it in half, and remove it to a plate.
- Continue making pancakes until all the batter and filling are used up.
Secrets to making thin, crispy Banh Xeo
Tips for crispy Banh Xeo:
- The Banh Xeo batter should not be too thick or too thin.
- Let the batter rest for enough time to allow it to rise.
- Heat the pan very hot before pouring the batter.
- Pour a sufficient amount of batter, spread it thinly and evenly.
- Fry the pancakes over medium heat so that they cook evenly and do not burn.
- You can add a little beer to the batter to make the pancakes crispier for longer.
Suggested Famous Mekong Delta Banh Xeo Eateries in Can Tho: Addresses and Detailed Reviews
If you don’t have time or want to enjoy “authentic” Mekong Delta Banh Xeo in Can Tho, don’t miss the famous eateries below:
Banh Xeo Muoi Xiem Restaurant
Muoi Xiem Restaurant is a familiar address for many tourists when visiting Can Tho. Banh Xeo here is famous for its “huge” size, crispy crust, generous filling, and rich dipping sauce. The restaurant has a spacious, airy ambiance, with fast and enthusiastic service.
Banh Xeo Muoi Xiem – Famous Banh Xeo brand in Can Tho
- Address: 13/3 Nguyen Chi Thanh Street, Tra Noc Ward, Binh Thuy District, Can Tho.
- Reference Opening Hours: 10 AM – 10 PM.
- Rating: 4.5/5 stars.
Banh Xeo 7 Toi Restaurant
Banh Xeo 7 Toi is loved for its paper-thin, crispy crust like rice paper crackers. The filling is diverse and fresh, especially the shrimp and pork filling and the mussel filling. The restaurant has a casual ambiance, affordable prices, suitable for many customer groups.
Banh Xeo 7 Toi – Paper-thin, irresistibly crispy crust
- Address: 45 Hoang Quoc Viet Street, An Binh Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho.
- Reference Opening Hours: 7:30 AM – 10 PM.
- Rating: 4/5 stars.
Banh Xeo Co Mai Restaurant
Co Mai Restaurant attracts diners with fresh, high-quality ingredients, ensuring food safety and hygiene. Banh Xeo here is made in large sizes, with generous fillings, satisfyingly filling. The restaurant has a spacious, airy ambiance, suitable for groups of friends or families.
- Address: Vo Truong Toan Street, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho.
- Reference Opening Hours: 4 PM – 10 PM.
- Rating: 4/5 stars.
Tay Hue Vien Banh Xeo Restaurant
Tay Hue Vien Restaurant is famous for its secret to making exceptionally crispy Banh Xeo, unlike any other restaurant. When enjoying it, you will feel the crust melt in your mouth, combined with a harmonious sweet and sour dipping sauce, creating an unforgettable flavor.
Tay Hue Vien Banh Xeo – Unique, unforgettable flavor
- Address: 32 De Tham Street, An Cu Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho.
- Reference Opening Hours: 7 AM – 9 PM.
- Rating: 4.2/5 stars.
Tan Dinh Banh Xeo Restaurant
Tan Dinh Restaurant is loved by diners for its Banh Xeo with plenty of meat, fresh raw vegetables, flavorful dipping sauce, and fast, enthusiastic service from the owner. The restaurant has a spacious, airy ambiance, suitable for gatherings with friends and family.
Tan Dinh Banh Xeo – Ideal place for gatherings
- Address: Le Loi Roundabout, Cai Khe Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho.
- Reference Opening Hours: 11 AM – 11 PM.
- Rating: 4.3/5 stars.
Mekong Delta Banh Xeo is not only a delicious dish but also an indispensable part of the culinary and cultural exploration journey in Can Tho. Hopefully, with the secrets and suggestions above, you will have truly complete and memorable Mekong Delta Banh Xeo experiences. Don’t forget to share your wonderful culinary moments in Can Tho with “Du lịch khắp thế gian” (Discovery Through Wonders)!