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The holidays have come and gone real quick. My heart is still warm from all the cozy times spent with friends and family. And, as sad as I am to see 2015 go, I'm also excited for what 2016 will bring! If 2015 was any indication, this year is going to be a good one. But, despite all this "in with the new" excitement, I still find that the first week back from holidays tends to feel a bit…blah. In an effort to bump up our excitement level at home, I cranked out a fat stack of crispy Vietnamese crepes that we assembled tableside for dinner. If the giggles, crepe building contests, and empty plates were a sign, this recipe was a definite hit!
I first came across Vietnamese crepes two or three years ago. I loved the idea of a thin, crackly shell that could be stuffed with endless toppings. Things like crunchy beansprouts, fragrant thai basil, and other fresh herbs. At first I'd assumed the vibrant yellow hue of the crepe came from eggs in the batter, but then I learned it was actually turmeric! No eggs in sight – or dairy – which makes this dish vegan friendly. Oh yes!
The batter is so easy to throw together. Measure your ingredients, dump them in a bowl and whisk away. I find I get the best results when I let the mixed batter sit for a bit. It works perfectly, because the batter can rest while you prep the sauce and the toppings. Or, if you're really organized, you could even make the batter the night before. You kitchen goddess, you. When it comes to the cooking, this recipe includes a measurement for the batter itself (provided you're using a 10"pan). I find that measuring the batter really helps to make sure I've got the perfect amount every time! And while I don't often use non-stick pans, for this dish, I find that a non-stick skillet is the best way to get a perfectly crispy crepe every time.
Vietnamese crepes can be served in a variety of ways. Most often I've seen them folded in half and pre-assembled in the pan. But I've also had it served as a big "family style" dish with a HUGE crepe in the middle and toppings stacked all around. Everyone would tear off some of the shell and then hand-assemble their own mini crepe. Basically, there's a bunch of ways you could do this. For this recipe, I went for the simplest option – i.e. the one that let me get out of the kitchen and get to the eating ASAP. So, rather than cranking out stuffed crepes one at a time, I instead opted to let everyone assemble their crepes at the table. There's something fun about building your own food before you eat it.
The toppings really make this dish, so make sure you don't skimp on them! At this time of year, I wanted to have a warm, vegan-friendly component tucked into the crepe. This is where the sautéed onions and shiitake mushrooms come in. Then, go to town with the fresh toppings. I suspect the herb that might be less familiar is the thai basil. It's delicious in this dish, so I highly recommend you try to hunt it down. Most of my local grocers carry it either in bundles, or in those clear herb packages in the produce aisle. Asian grocers would also be a sure bet. You know that you're looking at thai basil when you see a purple stem. Thai basil has a distinctly different taste than sweet basil (sweet basil being the more commonly used variety in North America), so if you can't track it down, just leave it out. There's a ton of other herbs and fresh toppings stuffed in there – so you'll still be very content without it. You can feel good knowing that the sweet and spicy sauce has your back. It's the perfect finishing touch!
📖 Recipe
Crispy Vietnamese Crepes (Banh Xeo)
Ingredients
Crepe Batter
- 1⅔ cups brown rice flour
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup coconut milk (from a can, see note 1)
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 scallions/green onions, thinly sliced
- Grapeseed oil, for cooking (or other neutral oil)
Sautéed Mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil)
- 1 white onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
- ¾ lb shiitake mushrooms, sliced sliced (stems removed)
- 1 tablespoon liquid aminos (or tamari or soy sauce, see note 2)
Sweet and Spicy Sauce
- 2 to 3 tablespoons water, divided
- 1 tablespoon liquid aminos (or tamari or soy sauce, see note 2)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ to ½ Thai red chili, seeds removed and minced (or red pepper flakes, to taste)
Other recommended fillings (optional)
- Beansprouts
- Carrots, cut in matchsticks
- Fresh herbs: Thai Basil, Cilantro, Mint
- Lettuce
- Lime wedges (for squeezing)
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat oven to 250°F (121°C). Place a cooling rack inside a baking sheet.
- Mix Crepe Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together rice flour, water, coconut milk, turmeric, salt, and scallions. until smooth. Set aside.
- Sauté Mushrooms: Heat grapeseed oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until the softened through, about 5 minutes. Add tamari, toss to coat, and cook until it's been absorbed by the mushrooms. Transfer to an oven-safe container, cover with foil, and keep warm in the oven.
- Cook crepes (see note 3): Give the skillet a quick wipe. Increase heat to medium-high and oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Once hot, add ¼ cup of batter and swirl the pan to coat the bottom with an thin, even layer (depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to adjust the amount of batter slightly). Cook until the edges are crispy and the bottom is pale golden (2 to 3 minutes). Flip and cook until the other side is pale golden. Transfer the crepe to the cooling rack and slide the baking sheet into the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
- Make Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons of the water, tamari, lime juice, coconut sugar, and garlic until the sugar is dissolved. Add chili and more water, to taste.
- Assemble: Pile mushrooms and other fillings over half the crepe. Spoon some of the sauce on top, fold the crepe in half and enjoy.
Notes
- Coconut milk: Shake the can or stir well to mix before measuring.
- Liquid aminos: I slightly prefer liquid aminos (such as Bragg) when trying to mimic fish sauce, but tamari or soy sauce works as well (their flavor is slightly stronger).
- Storage tip: Uncooked batter can be refrigerated and keeps for 2 to 3 days. Bring it up to room temperature before cooking.
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