Vietnamese pancakes, whether in the Central or Southern style, are one of the famous dishes that many people love for their delicious and distinctive flavors. Let’s head to the kitchen with TasteVN to learn 2 ways to make shrimp and pork pancakes to invite the whole family!
1. Shrimp and Pork Pancakes
Preparation
30 minutes
Cooking
30 minutes
Difficulty
Medium
Ingredients for Shrimp and Pork Pancakes Serves 5 people
Pork belly 200 gr Shrimp 200 gr Bean sprouts 100 gr Onion 1 bulb (finely chopped) Green onion 1/2 cup (chopped) Vegetables A little (lettuce/ perilla/ mustard greens/ fish mint) Minced shallots 2 teaspoons Minced garlic 3 teaspoons Minced chili A little Grated coconut 200 gr Young coconut water 500 ml Rice flour 400 gr (or premixed pancake flour) Turmeric powder 1/2 tablespoon Rice vinegar 1 tablespoon Fish sauce 1 tablespoon Cooking oil A little Common seasoning A little (salt/ sugar/ ground pepper/ seasoning powder)
How to Make Shrimp and Pork Pancakes
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Extract Coconut Milk
First, put 200ml of warm water and shredded coconut into the blender and blend until smooth. Then, pour the mixture into a cloth bag and squeeze through a sieve to obtain 500ml of coconut milk.
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Mix the Pancake Batter
In a bowl, combine 400gr of rice flour, 500ml of coconut milk, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning, 1/2 tablespoon of turmeric powder, and 1/2 cup (rice bowl) of finely chopped scallions. Stir well until the mixture is well combined and the flour is completely dissolved.
Tip: If the mixture is too thick, you can add a little water! -
Sauté shrimp and pork
First, wash the shrimp and pork thoroughly, then slice the pork into thin pieces for easy eating.
Place the shrimp and pork into 2 separate bowls, then mix each bowl evenly with the following seasoning amounts: 1 teaspoon of minced shallots, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
Heat a pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, and heat over medium flame. When the oil is hot, add the pork and sauté over medium heat for about 3 – 5 minutes until the pork is firm.
Finally, add the shrimp and sauté for another 3 minutes before turning off the heat.
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Making bánh xèo
Heat a new pan on the stove with a bit of cooking oil over high heat.
Wait for the pan to be really hot, then pour the bánh xèo batter in, quickly spreading it evenly across the pan, add shrimp and meat, a bit of onion, and bean sprouts into the pan, then cover for about 2 – 3 minutes.
When the bánh xèo is golden and crispy, fold it in half and transfer it to a plate. Continue until all the batter and filling are used up.
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Prepare the dipping sauce
First, boil 500ml of young coconut water. Then, add 50ml of the boiled coconut water into a bowl, along with 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, and a little chopped chili, then stir well.
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Finished Product
Arrange the pancakes on a plate, served with mustard greens, lettuce, herbs of various kinds and dipping sauce.
Hot and crispy pancakes combined with various herbs, succulent shrimp and meat, along with a little salty, sour, and spicy from the dipping sauce, will surely make you exclaim in delight!
2. Shrimp and Meat Pancakes (recipe shared by a user)
Preparation
30 minutes
Cooking
30 minutes
Difficulty
Medium
Mix the pancake batter
Add to a bowl 200g of rice flour, 500ml of filtered water, 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, and chopped green onions. Stir well until the mixture is combined and let the batter rest for at least 1 hour.
Stir-fry the pancake filling
Heat a pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and heat over medium heat. Then, add the shrimp and stir-fry for 3 minutes over medium heat until the outer shell is firm.
After that, add to the pan: pork belly, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, and 1 teaspoon of ground pepper. Continue to stir-fry until the filling is dry, taste it to adjust to your family’s preference, then turn off the heat.
Pour the pancakes
Place a pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and heat it over medium heat.
When the oil is hot, add 1 tablespoon of filling, then pour the batter over and shake your hand in a circular motion to evenly coat the pan.
When the pancake is slightly crispy, add a little bean sprouts on top, let it cook for about 3 minutes until golden and crispy, fold the pancake in half and serve on a plate. Continue until all the batter and filling are used.
Make the dipping sauce for pancakes
Add to a bowl 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, minced garlic and chili. Stir well to combine the mixture, and adjust the seasoning to suit your family’s taste.
Final Product
Crispy pancakes when eaten rolled with fresh vegetables, dipped into sweet and sour fish sauce, with a hint of spiciness, you will experience many layers of incredibly appealing flavors.
From the golden crispy shell to the rich and savory filling blended with various aromatic herbs, it can be said to be outstandingly delicious.
Tips for making delicious shrimp and pork pancakes
- When mixing the batter, do not add too much turmeric powder as it will create an unpleasant smell.
- Using a cast iron pan or a new aluminum pan for frying will make the pancakes harder to peel off; using an old pan is best for making pancakes. Non-stick pans available today can still be used, but the pancake crust may be thicker and less crispy.
- Spread the batter slowly over low heat to achieve crispiness for the pancake crust; do not rush to fry over high heat as it may burn the pancake and make it soft quickly.
How to choose good quality pork belly
- Good pork belly has a balanced ratio of fat and meat; when tasting, you will not feel greasy due to too much fat or too dry from having too much lean meat.
- Choose pork that has a thick outer skin, a layer of fat about two finger widths thick, the lean meat tightly attached to the fat, with the outer skin dry and a bright pink color.
- Fresh pork will have a distinctive smell, and when pressed, it will have good elasticity. Avoid purchasing types of meat with strange smells, unpleasant odors, or meat with overly thick outer skin as this indicates the pig has been raised for a long time, which will not taste good.
How to choose fresh shrimp
- Fresh shrimp will have a transparent color and cling tightly to the shrimp body.
- Pay attention to buying shrimp with a slightly curved body, firm flesh, intact shell, and the head firmly attached to the body.
- Do not buy shrimp with spread tails, legs that have changed color or are loose, missing tail fins, and not neatly arranged together because these may be shrimp that have been caught for a long time and soaked in preservatives.
How to choose fresh and delicious shrimp
- It is advisable to choose live shrimp, with the tail curled down, the head firmly attached to the body, and a slightly curved back.
- Additionally, good shrimp will have a natural fishy smell of river water, without any foul odor or no smell at all.
- Avoid buying shrimp that have straight bodies, with the segments on the shell stretched out and showing signs of swelling in the belly and back. This may indicate that these shrimp have been soaked in chemicals.
- Moreover, you should not choose shrimp that have pale, uneven colors, with the tails fanned out like a fan, as these are shrimp that have gone bad and may not be safe to eat.
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With 2 ways to make shrimp and pork pancakes above, it’s very simple, isn’t it? Let’s head to the kitchen and show off your skills right away. The fragrant pancake with a crispy crust and appealing shrimp and pork filling will surprise your family. And don’t forget to share this guide on how to make pancakes with your friends and everyone else!
