Crispy Vietnamese crepes made with rice flour and coconut milk. Filled with sautéed mushrooms, mung bean sprouts, carrots, and tofu! Versatile, easy to make, and delicious!
Whisk together the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the white rice flour, cornstarch, all-purpose flour, salt, sugar, and turmeric. A quick tip: you can add a pinch of mushroom seasoning or MSG to enhance the overall flavor.
Add the wet ingredients. Pour in the coconut milk and water. Add the chopped green onions.
Whisk until combined. Next, whisk until you get a smooth batter. Cover and let the batter rest for at least 15 minutes.
Filling
Fry the tofu. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the sliced tofu and pan-fry for 10-15 minutes, flipping the tofu from time to time until golden brown on each side. Transfer the tofu to a plate lined with kitchen paper towels to remove the excess oil and set aside.
Sauté the vegetables. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the carrot matchsticks and sliced mushrooms. Season with a pinch of salt and ground black pepper. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until the carrots are tender but still slightly crunchy.
Add the tofu. Next, add the tofu and cook for one more minute. Set the filling aside.
Cook the bánh xèo
Heat the oil. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick skillet or wok over medium heat. Use a kitchen paper towel to spread the oil evenly.
Pour in the batter. Pour about 3/4 cup (or less if using a small pan) of the batter into the skillet and quickly tilt to spread it into an even thin layer. Cook for 2 minutes.
Top with the filling. Top one-half of the crêpe with some of the cooked mushrooms, tofu, carrots, and a handful of bean sprouts. Do not go overboard with the amount of filling.
Cook until golden brown. Cook the crêpe uncovered for another 3-5 minutes or until it is golden brown and crispy.
Fold it in half. Using a spatula, fold the bánh xèo in half, covering the halve containing the filling. Transfer to a serving plate and repeat with the remaining batter and filling.
To serve: Take a small piece of bánh xèo (the crêpe and some of the filling) and wrap it in a leaf of lettuce with a few fresh herbs such as Thai basil, perilla leaves, and/or cilantro. Then, dip it into the sauce and enjoy!
This dish is best served immediately while it's still crispy. You can store the batter for up to 2 days in the refrigerator, but it's best to cook the crêpes just before serving.
Dipping sauce
Add the fish sauce and sugar to a small bowl and stir to combine. Next, add the chopped garlic and chili to the bowl. Pour in the water and lime juice and stir again until the sugar has completely dissolved. At this point, you can taste it and adjust the sweetness and saltiness to your liking.
Notes
Be generous with the oil.
For extra crispy crêpes, I suggest drizzling a bit more oil along the sides of the skillet after 2-3 minutes of cooking. Allow the crêpe to cook for another 3-5 minutes or until it is golden brown on the bottom for a super crispy texture!
Cook over medium heat (and adjust accordingly).
I have tried cooking bánh xèo over different heats to check which one yields the best result in terms of texture and flavor. In my opinion, cooking over medium heat works best. It yields crêpes with a nice appearance that are soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.A low-temperature yields pale crêpes that taste floury. On the opposite, a too-high temperature yields a bumpy appearance (lots of holes) and a hard texture. So, if your crêpes have a rough appearance, the temperature of your skillet might be too hot. Allow it to cool for a couple of minutes before cooking another crêpe.
Do not make it too thick.
Bánh xèo is supposed to be thin, just slightly thicker than a French crêpe. Do not pour too much batter into the skillet at once and tilt the pan to spread it into a thin and even layer. If your bánh xèo is too thick, it will taste floury.