Banh xeo means sizzling cake and is a popular Vietnamese and Cambodian dish.    It's a thin rice pancake filled with pork, shrimp and fresh vegetables.

I learned this recipe while I was in Hue, Vietnam.    There this dish is called Banj Koai Hue that means "happy pancake" - it is also my favourite version of it, it comes cut in pieces and topped with the most amazing peanut sauce.

Here is the recipe I learned in my cooking class at "Missyroo"  (yes... really roo, the first owner was Australian :-)).     Hong Anh was my teacher for the day.    I loved the class,  I've learned to make lots of dishes and I had a fun time buying the ingredients at the food market.  

They have two classes per day, one in the morning and another in the afternoon - you can find everything about it at www.missyroohue.com.

About the ingredients; for the pancake batter they use a mix of rice flour, corn flour in a proportion of about 80% / 20% - the mixture is sold ready in the market but you can make it yourself with this proportion.  

I have been researching about the pancakes and all the recipes I saw on internet have turmeric on it.
 Anh didn't use turmeric, just egg yolk and chicken powder and it was delicious so I added the turmeric as a optional ingredient.   Black mushrooms can be found dried in Asian shops - hydrate it dipping it in boiling water for a few minutes.

At last, I haven't added any shrimp as I am very allergic to seafood but you can add some clean and stir fried shrimps to the filling to your taste.

Enjoy it!
Rachel

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Banh Khoai Hue (Hue Fried Pancake)

Serves: 4  |  Costs: $$ |  Difficulty: Medium |  Time: 30min 

Author: Kangaroo Hue Restaurant

Pancakes

• 3 Tablespoons rice flour
• 1 Tablespoon corn flour
• 4 Egg yolks
• 1 Teaspoon powdered chicken stock  (or 1 Teaspoon turmeric)
• 8 Tablespoon water
• 1 Teaspoon sugar
• Oil to fry

Filling

• About 200g stir fried pork (loin or belly with fat trimmed) 
• About 300g bean sprouts chopped
• About 2 carrots julienned (small cut)
• About 1 cup black mushrooms chopped

Sauce

• 3 Tablespoons powdered roasted peanuts (use mortar and pestle)
• 2 Tablespoons crushed toasted sesame seeds
• 3 cloves finely diced garlic
• 5 Red shallots finely chopped
• 2 Teaspoon sugar
• 1 Teaspoon powdered chicken stock
• 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1/2 bowl water
• 1 Tablespoon oil

To Garnish

• 2 cups lettuce leaves roughly cut
• 1/2 cup mint leaves
• 1/2 cup Vietnamese mint leaves
• 1 Cup finely sliced banana flower

Instructions

Pancakes and Filling

1. Mix all ingredients, except the oil in a bowl until all combined
2. Place a small heavy-based non-stick frying pan (about 20 cm) over medium heat.
3. Coat the pan with oil.
4. Once the oil is hot, add a thin layer of batter to the pan, swirling to coat the base of the pan.
5. Put some pieces of the fried pork, bean sprouts, carrot and mushroom on half of the pancake
6. Fold the pancake and and add more oil (enough to cover about 1/3 of the pancake)
7. When crispy, flip the pancake
8. Remove from the heat, repeat this process with the remaining batter and filling ingredients. 

Sauce

1. In a bowl mix the peanut, sesame, peanut butter, back pepper and fish sauce 
2. Heat the oil in a small sauce pan over medium heat
3. Stir in the garlic and shallots and fry for a couple of minutes
4. Stir in the peanut mixture
5. Add the water 
6. Cook for about 5 min, until tick. 

Garnishing

1. Mix all ingredients and serve it aside in a large plate, use some to decorate the dish

Assembling

1. Slice each pancake in three
2. Put in a bowl
3. Pour some of the sesame sauce on the top of it
4. Decorate with some of the garnishing
5. Serve with the Garnishing aside and the remaining peanut sauce is a bowl