2 hours ago
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There’s something endearing and confident about a dish named after the feeling it gives you. Bánh khoái means “delight” or “joy” cake. This crisp, savoury pancake originates from Hue, the historic capital of Vietnam’s central region. Traditionally served with a rich hoisin dipping sauce, my take swaps that out for a lighter nước chấm with sesame seeds. It stays true to the spirit of the original, though, preserving its joyful texture and bold, satisfying flavours, while using more accessible ingredients.
Bánh khoái (joy pancake)
This is just as joyful without the prawns: swap them for smoked or marinated tofu, and serve with sweet soy sauce for dipping. Purple perilla (also known as shisho leaves) is available in most Asian food stores.
Prep 10 min
Cook 25 min
Serves 4
8 tbsp vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
280g cooked and peeled king prawns (jumbo shrimp), or ready-cooked prawns
4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
200g beansprouts
4 tsp crispy fried shallots, to garnish
For the batter
100g rice flour
25g plain flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
300ml coconut cream (not coconut milk)
For the sesame nước chấm
2 tsp white sesame seeds
400ml nước chấm (Vietnamese fish sauce)
For the salad
½ fresh pineapple, peeled and cored
1 star fruit, or green (unripe) mango
2 baby gem lettuce, leaves separated
80g pea shoots
120g rocket
25g Thai basil
25g purple perilla
In a large bowl, whisk all the batter ingredients until smooth. In a small bowl, stir the sesame seeds into the nước chấm and set aside.
Put a 20cm cast-iron skillet or nonstick frying pan on a medium heat, add two tablespoons of oil and, when it’s hot, pour in about 75ml (five tablespoons) of the batter, swirling the pan to coat the base evenly. Drizzle over a tablespoon of beaten egg, then sprinkle over some prawns, spring onion and beansprouts (if you like them softened; if not, save them for the salad), then leave to cook for about two minutes, until the base is crisp and golden.
Fold the pancake in half to enclose the filling, and transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining oil, batter and filling to make four pancakes.
Slice the pineapple and star fruit or mango, arrange them and the remaining salad ingredients on a platter and put in the centre of the table. Garnish with crispy fried shallots.
To eat, wrap pieces of pancake in lettuce with the herbs and fruit, dip into the sesame nước chấm, and enjoy every joyful bite.
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This recipe is an edited extract from One Pan Vietnam, by Thuy Diem Pham, published by Quadrille at £22.
