Banh Xeo – crispy Vietnamese pancakes

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 400 g rice flour
• 800 ml water
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp turmeric
• 2 spring onions
• 200 g soy sprouts
• 150 g cooked shrimp
• 300 g schnitzel meat
• 3 carrots
• 1 lime(s)
• e.g. soy sauce
• e.g. fish sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• n. B. Coriander leaves
• 1 iceberg lettuce
• e.g. peanut oil

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour

Cut the schnitzel into strips and season with soy sauce. Fry in hot oil and place in a small bowl. Peel the carrots and cut into thin strips. Marinate with fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar, and place in another bowl. Briefly blanch the bean sprouts and place them in a bowl with the chopped spring onions and shrimp. Pick and chop the cilantro leaves, then place them in a small bowl. Place the bowls on the dining table. For the batter, mix the rice flour with salt and turmeric, then add enough water to form a runny batter. Stir in 1 tablespoon of oil and let stand for 5 minutes. Heat the oil in a pan and ladle in the batter, tossing immediately to ensure the batter is evenly distributed. Do not add too much batter, as you want thin pancakes. Fry until crispy on both sides. Transfer to kitchen paper and let it drain. Separate the iceberg lettuce into individual leaves. Now assemble as follows: Take a lettuce leaf, place a pancake on top, and top with the other ingredients of your choice, including a lime dip if desired. Fold it up and eat. Frying the pancakes takes some practice. Don’t use too little oil, or they’ll stick. But don’t flip them too early, or they’ll break. Small pancakes are easier to fry.