Pork and Shrimp Crepes (Bahn Xeo) Recipe

Ingredients:

125 g rice flour

250 ml water

250 ml thick coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 to 2 tablespoons oil

150 g bean sprouts, seed coats and tails removed, washed and drained well

2 scallions, minced

6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps thinly sliced to yield about 1 cup

1 portion Vietnamese Dressing (Nuoc Cham – refer Vietnamese recipes)

Filling:

200 g pork, very thinly sliced

250 g fresh medium shrimps, peeled and de-veined

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons oil

1 onion, halved and sliced

Lettuce Wraps:

20 butter lettuce leaves, rinsed and trimmed

Sprigs of mint leaves

Sprigs of coriander (cilantro) leaves

1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

Method:

Make the filling by combining the pork, shrimps, garlic, fish sauce and sugar in a large bowl and mixing well. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat and stir-fry the onion slices for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and translucent. Add the pork and shrimps mixture, and stir-fry until the shrimps turn pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and set aside. To make the pancakes, mix the rice flour, water, coconut milk, salt and turmeric in a mixing bowl until a smooth batter is obtained. Set aside for 10 minutes, then strain to remove any lumps. Heat a little oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat, turning to grease the sides. When the pan is hot, pour in 85 ml of the batter and turn the pan to obtain a thin round layer of batter, about 20 cm in diameter. Scatter a handful of the bean sprouts, scallions and mushrooms onto the crepe, followed by 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling on one half of the crepe. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and continue to fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until the crepe turns golden brown and crispy. Fold the crepe in half and slide it onto a plate. Repeat until all the batter and filling are used up. Slice the crepe into sections and arrange with the lettuce wraps on a large serving platter. Serve immediately with a bowl of fish sauce dip on the side.