Vietnamese Sizzling Crepe

Makes about 8 crepes.

Batter
2 cups jasmine rice, soaked in water at least 4 hours
1/2 cup coconut milk
4 scallions, whites only, chopped
1 inch turmeric root, peeled and chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon salt

Filling
1 pound pork tenderloin, julienned, or coarsely ground pork
1/2 pound whole shrimp, peeled
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus additional for cooking
Pinch of sugar
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dried, split mung beans
2 cups mung bean sprouts
4 scallions, greens only, sliced thinly

Vegetable Platter
Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce

1.    To grind the batter: In a blender, combine the soaked rice, coconut milk, scallion whites and turmeric root. Add about 1 cup cold water, then puree until the rice is finely ground into a thick batter. Drizzle in more water, if needed, to keep the mixture moving. It should look smooth, but when you rub some of the batter between your fingers, you'll feel a little coarseness from the grains. Transfer the blended rice to a large bowl and then stir in additional water, if needed, to obtain the consistency of thick cream. Season to taste with the salt. (Refrigerate up to 3 days)
2.    To prepare the filling: In two separate bowls, marinate the pork and the shrimp each with 3 cloves garlic, 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Season with the sugar and black pepper, rubbing the pork and the shrimp to coat evenly with the marinade. (For best flavor, let sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator.)
3.    In a wok or large skillet, sauté the pork and the shrimp separately in a small amount of oil just until opaque. Set aside in bowls. Boil the mung beans in water until al dente, about 20 minutes; drain and set aside.
4.    With all your components ready by the stove, heat a well-seasoned wok or large skillet over a medium flame. When hot, add about 1 tablespoon oil, stir the batter to redistribute the rice grains, then ladle in enough batter to make an 8-inch crepe, tilting the pan to spread it evenly. Scatter the bean sprouts, scallion greens, split mung bean, and the cooked pork and shrimp over the crepe. Cook, uncovered, until golden brown. For crispier edges, drizzle in additional oil down the sides of the wok. Fold the crepe in half and slide on individual plates. The crepes can be kept warm in a low oven, though are best eaten immediately.



© 2009  Thy Tran  www.wanderingspoon.com
Bánh Xèo (Timesaver)

Vietnamese Sizzling Crepe (from Rice Flour)

Makes about 8 crepes.

Batter
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice flour (bôt te tinh khiêt)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 onion, grated (optional)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon salt

Filling
1 pound pork tenderloin, julienned, or coarsely ground pork
1/2 pound whole shrimp, peeled
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus additional for cooking
Pinch of sugar
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dried, split mung beans
2 cups mung bean sprouts
4 scallions, greens only, sliced thinly   

Vegetable Platter
Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce

1.    To prepare the batter: Whisk together the rice flour, coconut milk, onion, turmeric, salt and about 2 cups cold water. Stir in additional water or rice flour, if needed, to obtain the consistency of thick cream. (Refrigerate up to 3 days.)
2.    To prepare the filling: In two separate bowls, marinate the pork and the shrimp each with 3 cloves garlic, 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Season with the sugar and black pepper, rubbing the pork and the shrimp to coat evenly with the marinade. (For best flavor, let sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator.)
3.    In a wok or large skillet, sauté the pork and the shrimp separately in a small amount of oil just until opaque. Set aside in bowls. Boil the mung beans in water until al dente, about 20 minutes; drain and set aside.
4.    With all your components ready by the stove, heat a well-seasoned wok or large skillet over a medium flame. When hot, add about 1 tablespoon oil, stir the batter well and then ladle in enough batter to make an 8-inch crepe, tilting the pan to spread it evenly. Scatter the bean sprouts, scallion greens, split mung beans, and the cooked pork and shrimp over the crepe. Cook, uncovered, until golden brown. For crispier edges, drizzle in additional oil down the sides of the wok. Fold the crepe in half and slide onto a serving plate. The crepes can be kept warm in a low oven, though are best eaten immediately.



© 2009  Thy Tran  www.wanderingspoon.com

Bánh Xèo Accompaniments

Vegetable Platter

One head red-leaf or Boston lettuce
One head young, flat-leafed mustard greens
One bunch each: fresh mint, cilantro, red perilla or shiso, and rau răm
Cucumbers, cut into thin spears
Mung bean sprouts
Pickled carrots and daikon

Wash the greens and herbs, dry well with a salad spinner or layer between clean towels. Arrange all the vegetables and herbs on a platter. If serving a large table, divide the ingredients between two smaller plates and place them at each end of the table.



Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup sugar
3 cloves garlic, mashed and minced finely
2 red Thai chiles, sliced thinly

In a glass jar, combine all the ingredients with 1/4 to 1/2 cup water. Shake or stir until the sugar is dissolved. Adjust to desired taste, adding small amounts of any of the flavors to achieve a balance of salty, sour, spicy and sweet.


Pickled Carrots and Daikon
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 carrot, peeled, thinly sliced or julienned
1 small, young daikon, peeled, julienned

In a small saucepan, stir together the vinegar, sugar, salt and 1 cup water. Bring to a gentle simmer, with little bubbles rising. Remove from heat, stir in the carrot and daikon, and then set aside, uncovered, to cool. Drain and, if desired, rinse before serving. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.


© 2009  Thy Tran  www.wanderingspoon.com

Traditions of the Table in Vietnam by Thy Tran

-- Older people and important guests eat first and have the seat of honor facing the door. Families in the north will bow to the mother of the household before starting, and she may be allowed the first bite of the meal. All young guests at the table traditionally wait for their elders to begin eating before picking up their chopsticks.

-- Considerate hosts will often place food right in the bowl of their guests, giving them the choice pieces, boning food for them, or wrapping rolls for them.

-- It's rude to leave rice in your bowl, so take care in how much you take.

-- But it's usually okay to place stems of herbs, fruit peelings, etc. right on the table surface next to your plate or bowl.

-- Avoid making noise with chopsticks, especially knocking their ends against the table surface.

-- Graceful eaters will hold their chopsticks as far toward the square ends as possible.

-- When friends and family stop by, you ask them -- as they're taking off their shoes at the door -- "Have you eaten yet?" They'll usually say, "Yes, I have already," but it's the standard way of saying "Hi, how are you?" and replying with "Fine, thanks!"

-- Older guests may refuse food the first time you offer out of politeness. You're supposed to offer at least twice again. Always place something in front of them, even if it's simply a glass of water.

-- When you're visiting friends and family, remember to bring a small gift of food: a bag of mangoes, some tangerines, a jar of pickles, vegetables from your garden, cookies from a bakery. It's one of the traditions that has carried over here to the U.S., and I love this one very much.

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About the Banh Xeo: Vietnamese Crepes Workshop

by Thy Tran of the Asian Culinary Forum and Wanderingspoon.com
A classic dish much loved in Vietnam, this thin, crispy crepe is folded over tender shrimp and pork. Freshly grated turmeric gives the batter a bright, golden hue while coconut milk lends subtle sweetness. Brought to the table while still hot, banh xeo is served wrapped inside young greens with an abundance of fresh herbs and nuoc cham dipping sauce alongside.

Thy Tran on Banh Xeo: Banh Xeo is one of my favorite dishes from Vietnam. For as long as I can remember, my mother has tended a large garden. In the early summer, when the many greens that she grew were still young and tender, we'd eat a salad wrap nearly every night of the week. Often translated as sizzling crepe, the name of this dish -- "xxeeooo!" -- refers to the sound the batter makes when it hits the hot pan. It was originally created in Hue, the mountainous capital in the middle of the country, but has become a wildly popular street food in Saigon. There's a whole street in Saigon dedicated to this dish. The techniques and ingredients were carried to Vietnam during the spread of Indian culture and religion, when mainland Southeast Asia was still a part of the Funan empire.

Thy Tran writes literary nonfiction about food, the rituals of the kitchen, and the many ways eating and cooking both connect and separate communities around the world. She co-authored The Essentials of Asian Cooking, Taste of the World and the award-winning guide, Kitchen Companion. Her work has appeared in numerous other books, such as Asia in the San Francisco Bay Area: A Cultural Travel Guide, and she has contributed features to The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle.  Trained as a professional chef, Thy established Wandering Spoon in 2000 to provided cooking classes, culinary consultation, and educational programming for culinary academies and nonprofit organizations throughout Northern California. She is also the founder and director of the Asian Culinary Forum.

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The Seasonal Dishes series is made possible, in part by grants from the Alliance for California Traditional Arts, Wells Fargo Foundation, Alameda County Arts Commission, City of Oakland, East Bay Community Foundation, The San Francisco Foundation, U.S. Bank, NCB, and other donors.