Banh Xeo (Bánh xèo) is Vietnamese pancakes/crepes/okonomiyaki. It's a great way to consume a lot of fresh lettuce and herbs. It's also gluten free. I (Mika) didn't have this dish for a long time since I left Saigon because it was usually made with seafood and meat. It's easy to make it vegan though!
Also, I prefer to let it sit for several hours at room temperature or for a couple days in the fridge. Some say Banh Xeo isn't fermented but I believe it does become fermented in that hot/humid weather in Vietnam.
There are a lot of regional differences, so, like Okonomiyaki, I think you can arrange this recipe in any ways you want! The only common ingredients seem to be rice flour, turmeric, and coconut milk with lettuce, fresh herbs and bean sprouts.
Ingredients
Batter
- 1/2 cup mung beans
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 cups rice flour
- 1 cup cornstarch (could be less; substituted; or none and adjust the liquid amount)
- 4 cups water
- 1.5 tsp turmeric
- salt
Filling suggestions
- tempeh
- king trump mushrooms
- vegan chick'n/pork belly
- egg
- scallion
Garnish
- lettuce (lots of big leaves! should be fresh and crisp)
- mint
- thai basil
- scallion
Sauce
- Vietnamese sweet and soup dip
- [Vegan fish sauce]
