Vietnamese pancake (bánh xèo)

Pancake is not really good translation for Bánh xèo!

I think - the word "xèo" comes from the sound when we prepare this special dish! Just my guess!

Bánh xèo is one of many Vietnamese traditional delicacies that tourists esp. from Japan, Korea, Taiwan want to try during their stay in Vietnam. 

Probably originated from Mekong Delta, I heard many good bánh xèo from this area!
But at the same time we have many variations in each area.
In north some other ingredients has been added or in central, bánh xèo is smaller, especially in Huế - bánh xèo has another name, much smaller and served with different dipping sauce!

Made from rice flour mixed with water and coconut cream sauce, the yellow comes from turmeric powder! We add  later, when it's fried, shrimp, pork, green bean, onion, bean sprouts and egg!  

We can replace shrimp, pork with clams, cuttle fish...or just mushroom for vegetarian!
I did try bánh xèo with clams, quite good! 

The most famous place, where they serve one of the best bánh xèo (at least to me!) is on Đinh Công Tráng street! Crispy, tasty but dipping sauce a bit too light!
Wrap in mustard leaf, dip in sauce! Superb!
Popular spot not only for locals but also for tourists from overseas! Very crowded in the evening!  

                           Vietnamese pancake in central style, smaller, a bowl size!   

Bánh xèo bà Mười Xiềm (literally means Mrs Muoi Xiem's pancake) relatively new restaurant chain in Sài gòn, where they serve bánh xèo as main dish. In fact this is a name of a lady in Cần Thơ, famous for her bánh xèo. She was invited to US in 2007 to demonstrate how to prepare this traditional speciality at some cultural culinary event! 

Inside the original bánh xèo stall of Bà Mười Xiềm in Cần Thơ 

Bà Mười Xiềm has been promoted by local newspapers after her trip to US! 

The local media promoted her name by writing so many reviews about her bánh xèo. 

Using this opportunity someone bought her name for their bánh xèo stall chain which has been launched few years ago! I've been to one of this place and never came back since then!

I don't like it!  It's crispy but too thin as a super thin paper, I eat but have a feeling as eat nothing!  

The lady-chef from Cần Thơ, bà Mười Xiềm claimed that's not her quality and nothing related to her! 

Original bánh xèo prepared by Bà Mười Xiềm 

Feel sorry for her, but wonder for how long she sold her name to that chain! 

How the poor country side woman know about the brand value! 

Hope no any battle for her name in the future! 

Bà Mười Xiềm with young fans, famous for her bánh xèo,  her name became a brand for big bánh xèo restaurant chain in Sài gòn! 

Back to bánh xèo! 
Eating bánh xèo, we always wrap with many different vegetables, but I'm always loyal to the mustard
leaf rather than lettuce, then dip in sweet & sour fish sauce!

In Cần Thơ you may find some other new veggie as young mango leaf!

If you like you can add some fresh chili to fish sauce, so the spicy from chili, mixed with rich "bánh xèo" taste may stay for long on your tongue!

I found this video from Youtube (posted by quanmytruong, thanks!) to show you the making of bank xeo, hope you will hear the sound of "xèo"!

This video has been recorded probably somewhere in Mekong Delta!

Not so difficult to prepare bánh xèo at home, nowadays we can buy a pack of bánh xèo mix powder from supermarket. Bring it home and mix with coconut cream sauce, water, then when we fry, add whatever we want - shrimp, pork!
Don't miss the sound that became the name of this glorious speciality!
May be our bánh xèo is not good as in the restaurant, but home made is always the best!