Name: Banh xeo with prawns and pickled carrot
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 220 gm rice flour; 2 tbsp cornflour; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 400 ml coconut milk; 3 spring onions, thinly sliced; 1½ tbsp grapeseed oil; 16 cooked medium prawns, peeled; 1 cup (loosely packed) bean sprouts, trimmed, plus extra to serve; To serve: iceberg lettuce leaves, Vietnamese mint, coriander and lime wedges; Pickled carrot; 150 ml rice vinegar; 100 ml fish sauce; 50 gm caster sugar; 1½ small red chillies, finely chopped; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; 2 carrots, cut into julienne; Caramelised chilli dressing; 1½ tbsp grapeseed oil; 3 red shallots, finely chopped; 2 long red chillies, finely chopped; 1 small red chilli, finely chopped; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; 20 gm caster sugar; 1 tbsp fish sauce; 1½ tbsp lime juice; 1½ tbsp rice vinegar

Banh xeo with prawns and pickled carrot

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for banh xeo with prawns and pickled carrot.

Serves 6

Prep

45M

Cook

30M

Total

1H 15M

We’ve added a tangy chilli sauce to our take on this Vietnamese classic. If the batter thickens as it stands, add a little water – it should be like pouring cream.

Ingredients

220 gm rice flour

2 tbsp cornflour

1 tsp ground turmeric

400 ml coconut milk

3 spring onions, thinly sliced

1½ tbsp grapeseed oil

16 cooked medium prawns, peeled

1 cup (loosely packed) bean sprouts, trimmed, plus extra to serve

To serve: iceberg lettuce leaves, Vietnamese mint, coriander and lime wedges

Pickled carrot

150 ml rice vinegar

100 ml fish sauce

50 gm caster sugar

1½ small red chillies, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 carrots, cut into julienne

Caramelised chilli dressing

1½ tbsp grapeseed oil

3 red shallots, finely chopped

2 long red chillies, finely chopped

1 small red chilli, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

20 gm caster sugar

1 tbsp fish sauce

1½ tbsp lime juice

1½ tbsp rice vinegar

Method

Main

1.For pickled carrot, stir vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, chilli, garlic and 50ml water in a saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves, bring to the boil and add carrot. Transfer to a container and refrigerate until required. Pickled carrot will keep for 2-3 weeks.

2.Combine rice flour, cornflour, turmeric and 1 tsp fine salt in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Combine coconut milk and 350ml cold water, then whisk into flour mixture until a smooth batter forms. Stir in spring onion and refrigerate to rest for 1 hour. Thin with a little water if necessary.

3.For caramelised chilli dressing, heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, add shallot, chilli and garlic and stir occasionally until tender and well caramelised (6-8 minutes). Add sugar and fish sauce, stir until caramelised, remove from heat and stir in lime juice, vinegar and 1 tbsp water, then set aside to cool. Dressing will keep refrigerated for 2-3 weeks.

4.Heat 1½ tsp oil in a 20cm-diameter non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat until smoking. Add a quarter of the batter, swirl to coat base and slightly up sides, and cook until golden and crisp (3-4 minutes). Scatter with a quarter of the prawns and carrot, a handful of sprouts and iceberg lettuce, fold to enclose and slide onto a plate. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Top with mint, coriander, extra bean sprouts and serve with caramelised chilli dressing and lime wedges.