Bánh Bèo with Shrimp and Crispy Shallots
Delicate rice flour pancakes topped with savory shrimp, crispy shallots, and a tangy fish sauce drizzle. A classic Vietnamese street snack that's easier to make at home than you'd expect.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 18g
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice flour
- 1.25 cups water
- 8 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 medium shallots, sliced thin
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup fresh herbs (cilantro, mint, or dill, chopped)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels by pressing gently against each shrimp, then set them on a plate.
- 2
In a medium bowl, whisk together the rice flour, 1.25 cups water, and 0.5 teaspoon salt until no lumps remain — the mixture should look like thin pancake batter.
- 3
In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons fish sauce and 1 tablespoon lime juice; set aside.
- 4
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 1 minute.
- 5
Pour one-quarter of the batter into the center of the pan, then immediately tilt and rotate the skillet in a circular motion to spread it into a thin, even disk about 5 inches wide.
- 6
Cook without stirring until the bottom turns light golden and the surface looks set but still slightly wet, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- 7
Slide the pancake onto a plate and repeat with the remaining batter, making 3 more pancakes and using the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil as needed.
- 8
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute.
- 9
Add the sliced shallots and cook, stirring every 15 seconds, until they turn deep golden brown and smell sweet and fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes; transfer to a paper towel.
- 10
Add the shrimp to the same skillet and cook over medium-high heat without moving them for 1 minute, until the bottoms turn opaque.
- 11
Flip each shrimp and cook for another 30 seconds until the other side is opaque, then remove from heat.
- 12
Place each pancake on a serving plate, then arrange 2 shrimp on top of each one.
- 13
Sprinkle the crispy shallots over the shrimp, dividing evenly across all pancakes.
- 14
Drizzle the fish sauce mixture evenly over all 4 pancakes — about 1.5 teaspoons per pancake.
- 15
Scatter the fresh herbs over the top and serve immediately while the pancakes are still warm.
Tools you’ll need
- measuring cups and spoons
- medium mixing bowl
- whisk
- small bowl
- 8-inch nonstick skillet
- rubber spatula or wooden spoon
- paper towels
- dinner plates
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