Hoi An Pancakes: Recipe from our Vietnam Cooking Vacation

This weekend, forgo the maple syrup and bacon, and try something totally new in the kitchen — although you may want to consider trying this for a meal other than breakfast. That’s because this hoi an pancake — bánh xèo — recipe from our culinary vacation Cooking and Culture in Vietnam and Cambodia features savory ingredients, making it better suited as a lunch or dinner item, or, at the very least, brunch.

If you’re looking for additional recipes from Southeast Asia, scroll down!

Recipe for Hoi An Pancakes

Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Cook method: Pan fry

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried rice flour
• 1 1/2 cups water
• salt
• turmeric
• 150 gr (5 1/4 oz) finely cut shrimp, shelled and deveined (or any other seafood)
• 2 thin strips of pork
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 250 gr bean sprouts
• Topping mix: Mint, coriander, lettuce, Vietnamese basil, and bitter herbs
• Packet of rice paper

Check out our best-selling trip to Vietnam and Cambodia.

Instructions:

1. Start by making the rice batter. To do this, combine one cup dried rice flour, one and half cups fresh water, a pinch of salt, and half teaspoon turmeric powder (alternatively, saffron or curry dissolved in water can be substituted). Mix this all together and then leave at room temperature for one hour. While this rests, it’s time to make the food the pancake filling.
2. Lightly fry the shrimp and pork, and then set aside.
3. Heat a little bit of the oil in a small non-stick frying pan. Stir the batter and pour just enough into the pan to create a thin layer. Top the batter with a few bean sprouts and spring onion, and fry this over medium-to-high heat until the pancakes’ bottom is crisp.
4. Fold the pancake in half, and turn it over onto a plate.
5. Repeat this process with the remaining ingredients, adding a little oil to the frying pan for each pancake or as necessary.
6. To serve, each person can take a pancake, add some of the shrimp, pork, and topping mix, and wrap it in rice paper. You can also offer a peanut sauce for dipping!

This particular hoi an pancake recipe comes from the kitchen of Red Bridge Cooking School. While it’s easily replicated in a home kitchen, Red Bridge is a place worth experiencing first hand. For starters, to access the school, guests must take a leisurely cruise down the Hoi An river, which is a wonderful experience unto itself — so be sure to have your camera!

Once at the school, guests will have a chance to explore Red Bridge’s garden before heading into the kitchen to see how a dish is prepared before making it themselves. Visit our website to learn more about our Cooking and Culture in Vietnam and Cambodia, and continue your Southeast Asia culinary adventure with a Taste of Thailand!

You can try other delicious Southeast Asian recipes at home, including:

• Red Curry Chicken
• Cambodian Fish Amok
• Vietnamese Eggplant
• Spring Rolls

By Peg Kern

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