This savoury pancake dish is wrapped in rice paper and eaten as a finger food. Originally from the South, this dish is eaten mostly during wintertime. It is a good example of the harmonious balance of taste and textures in Vietnamese food: fresh and fried, sweet and sour, soft and crunchy.

Ingredients

• ½ cup long grain rice
• ½ cup mung beans 5
• ½ cups water
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tblsp spring onions, green part only, sliced finely
• ¼ cup coconut cream
• 8 tsp vegetable oil
• 16 slices of pork shoulder, sliced finely
• 16 baby shrimps, shell on
• 200gr bean sprouts

To Serve:

• 8 sheets rice paper
• 2 cups mixed herbs
• 8 green banana slices
• 8 star fruit slices peanut sauce or sweet and sour sauce

* bánh xèo powder can be purchased from any good Asian grocer. This can be used in place of making the batter.

Method

Soak rice in 2 cups water overnight.

Also soak mung beans in 2 cups water overnight.

Rinse rice well and drain.

Add 1 cup of water to rice and blend until a smooth liquid forms. Rinse mung beans well and drain.

Add ½ cup water and blend until a smooth liquid forms.

Mix the 2 batters together and add turmeric, spring onions and coconut cream.

Stir well to combine. In a bánh xèo pan or the smallest frying pan you can find, heat 1 tsp oil.

Put 2 slices of pork in hot pan on one side and cook 10 seconds on each side.

Place 2 shrimps in pan on other side. Ladle in a small amount of mix and tilt pan to distribute evenly.

Fry for 3-4 minutes until lightly coloured and crispy.

Place a handful of bean sprouts on the side closest to you, then fold the far side over towards you, creating a half-moon shape.

Continue cooking 1-2 minutes on each side. Repeat with the remaining batter to make 8 pancakes. Keep warm.

On a sheet of softened rice paper put a bánh xèo, a handful of herbs, a star fruit and green banana slice and roll up.

Eat with dipping sauces.

Serves 4 as a starter.