Savory pancakes > sweet pancakes in my world.
Then again, savory anything > sweet anything in my world, so whatever I say here is colored by that obvious bias. I’m pretty sure the ratio of savory to sweet foods on this blog is 80/20 at best.
What can I say?
The last meal I would choose to cross my lips is french fries, oysters, and champagne. Or braised beef or pork belly. Or foie gras or crispy duck confit.
Or since it would be my least meal, all of the above! Preferably while IN France. OMG yes. I mean, oui.
OK back to savory pancakes, which could also be included in the meal. There is something so marvelously satisfying about piling in a variety of textures – certainly crispness – and temperatures too. I’m all about the contrast of a hot-from-the-pan pancakes loaded with cool, crisp vegetables and fresh herbs. This is why I adore fish tacos with crispy cabbage slaw IN the tacos.
With a killer condiment of course.
I’m wandering again. Back to pancakes, these lovelies in particular. They’re a bit fragile, so I like to make them on the small side so that I can pick up them up to eat (inhale). It takes a minute to julienne veggies, but it’s worth it for the flavor-explosion it provides in each bite. A mandoline can make fast work of it.
Please enjoy!
xoxo Stephanie
Originally posted June 14, 2011
Naturally gluten-free, bánh xèo are simple, savory crepes made from rice flour and coconut milk. Served warm and filled with cool, crisp vegetables, herbs, and drizzled with a spicy-salty sauce, they will blow your mind with flavor and texture achieved with very little effort.
Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Savory Pancakes)
Adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi
Serves 4
Note: The recipe is meatless, and is absolutely delicious just that way, although feel free to add shrimp and/or pork if you like. Traditional bánh xèo are filled with both. I will be making the sauce all summer long to use as a salad dressing—it’s fantastic. I sliced the vegetables on a mandoline, then cut into julienne—fast chopping!
For the pancakes:
1 cup rice flour
1 large organic egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 can coconut milk
water as needed
avocado oil
For the sauce:
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon tamari
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
1 fresh red chile, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
For the filling:
1 large carrot, peeled, shredded or sliced thin
1 daikon radish, peeled, shredded or sliced thin (I substituted local radishes)
4 spring onions, sliced thin on the diagonal
1 fresh green chili, shredded or sliced thin
1 c. sugar snap peas, sliced thin on the diagonal (I substituted local pea shoots)
handful of fresh cilantro, torn
handful of fresh basil, torn
handful of fresh mint, torn
1/2 cup mung bean sprouts (I substituted local asparagus)
1/2 cup enoki mushrooms
In a large bowl, whisk together the rice flour, egg, salt, and turmeric. Whisk in the coconut milk. Add a little bit of water if needed to achieve a thin pancake batter consistency. Set aside to rest.
To make the sauce, whisk together all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Adjust the chili to taste.
For the filling, toss the vegetables together in a large bowl.
Heat a nonstick saute pan over medium high heat. Add a small drizzle of oil and when it’s hot, swirl about 1/3 c. of batter into the pan. Cook until set and lightly browned, about 3 minutes, flip and cook for 1 minute, then turn out of the pan onto a baking sheet. Continue the same process to cook all of the pancakes.
To serve, place warm pancakes on a plate. Top with a handful of vegetables, drizzle with sauce, roll up and eat with additional sauce.
The post Savory Pancakes Part II: Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Savory Pancakes) appeared first on Fresh Tart by Stephanie Meyer.
