Think Outside the Banh Mi

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Amelie Rousseau, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Vietnamese style bánh xèo via Wikimedia CC.

When craving Vietnamese food, most Portlanders opt for steaming bowls of fragrant beef pho, or comforting banh mi sandwiches stuffed with spicy meat and fresh herbs. Yet traveling through Vietnam I discovered the banh xeo, a giant fried crepe stuffed with pork, shrimp and fresh sprouts.

To eat, tear off pieces of crepe with a fresh lettuce leaf, add sprigs of aromatic mint and fresh cilantro and dip this delightful bite into a sweet fish sauce dipping sauce (nuoc cham). Fresh and delicious, banh xeos are an explosion of sweet, spicy, funky and umami. Banh xeo is half fried food and half salad, making this naughty and nice treat perfect for a special evening. Once you’ve tasted a crepe served up by the pros, you’ve gotta try it at home.

The banh xeo, or “sizzling pancake,” originated in Vietnam’s southern capital Ho Chi Minh City (previously Saigon). My favorite local banh xeo can be devoured at Pho Hung, on SE Powell (4717 SE Powell Blvd, 503- 775-3170). Try the Mekong Bistro in Northeast which also offers Cambodian and Thai delicacies to compliment the Vietnamese specials (8200 NE Siskiyou St, 503-265-8972).

Banh Xeo Crepe Batter

In a blender, combine all ingredients into a smooth batter. If time permits, let batter rest for an hour (or overnight) to let air bubbles escape. This batter makes about 3 crepes.

12 oz rice flour
1 tsp turmeric
14 oz coconut cream
3 cups water
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 cup sliced yellow onion
4 slices pork meat
1/4 lb Oregon pink shrimp
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper

Crepe Filling

Sauté the onion and garlic in 2 tbsp. vegetable oil in the widest, shallowest pan possible. Add pork and shrimp and cook through. Pour 1/3 cup of crepe batter over the top and cook covering for 4-5 minutes. The pork fat will make the crepe not stick to the pan. Add sprouts on one half of crepe and cook for another minute. Fold crepe over in half and slide onto a plate. Serve with lots of fresh lettuce leaves, Vietnamese mint and cilantro sprigs.

Nuoc Cham, a Sweet & Funky Dipping Sauce

This is an all-purpose dipping sauce, an uppercut punch to your taste buds. Nuoc cham is delicious on grilled meats or as a dip for potstickers and egg rolls.

Combine 1/4 cup fish sauce and 1/4 cup sugar until sugar is dissolved. In a mortar and pestle, pound a clove of garlic and 1/4 to 1 whole Thai bird's eye chili, depending on how much spice you desire. Add garlic and chili to fish sauce and stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice to finish.