Bánh Xèo Chay

Ingredients

Batter

• 200 g rice flour
• 30 g cornflour
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 200 ml coconut milk
• 400 ml water
• 4 spring onions (finely sliced)

Filling (per pancake)

• 50 g mixed mushrooms (oyster mushroom, shiitake; sliced)
• 30 g firm tofu (sliced thinly)
• 30 g sliced onion
• 50 g beansprouts
• Pinch salt

To cook

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil (split between batches)

Nuoc cham (vegetarian)

• 4 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons water
• 1 lime (juice)
• 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 1 bird's-eye chilli (finely sliced)
• 1 carrot (julienned)

To serve

• 1 head butter lettuce (separated into leaves)
• A large handful mint
• A large handful coriander
• A large handful Thai basil

Method

Stage 1 - Batter

1. Whisk the rice flour, cornflour, turmeric, salt and sugar.
2. Whisk in the coconut milk, water and spring onions.
3. Rest 30 minutes (lets the flour hydrate; gives a crisper pancake).

Stage 2 - Sauce

1. Whisk all the nuoc cham ingredients except the carrot until the sugar dissolves.
2. Stir in the carrot. Set aside.

Stage 3 - Cook the pancakes (one at a time)

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 24 cm non-stick or well-seasoned pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add about a quarter of the mushrooms, tofu and onion; stir-fry 2 minutes with a pinch of salt.
3. Spread out across the pan in a thin layer.
4. Whisk the batter; pour about a quarter of it (~150 ml) over the filling; tilt to coat the pan in a thin layer.
5. Reduce heat to medium; cook 3-4 minutes until the edges turn deep golden and lift away.
6. Pile a small handful of beansprouts on one half.
7. Slide a spatula under the other half; fold over; slide onto a plate.
8. Repeat 3 more times for the remaining pancakes.

Stage 4 - Serve

1. Bring the pancakes, lettuce, herbs and nuoc cham to the table.
2. Each diner: tear off a piece of pancake, wrap in a lettuce leaf with a sprig of each herb, dip and eat.