Mini Crispy Rice Pancakes (Bánh Khọt)
Bánh khọt Say it: bahn KHAWT
Bánh khọt are bite-sized, crisp Vietnamese rice pancakes, a specialty of the coastal city of Vũng Tàu and a beloved snack across southern Vietnam. A thin batter of rice, tapioca starch, turmeric and coconut milk sizzles in a dimpled pan until the edges turn lacy and golden, and each little cake is crowned with a shrimp. They are eaten wrapped in lettuce with herbs and dipped in nước chấm — crunchy, tender, coconut-sweet and savoury at once.
Mini Crispy Rice Pancakes (Bánh Khọt)
Bánh khọt
Pronounced bahn KHAWT
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains fish, shellfish. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Batter
Scallion oil and frying
Topping
Dipping sauce
To serve
Method
Whisk the rice powder, tapioca starch, turmeric and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined. Pour in the coconut milk and cold water and whisk to a completely smooth batter the consistency of thin cream, then let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes and stir well before using.
Make the scallion oil. put the sliced scallions in a small heatproof bowl, heat the 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil in a small pan over medium heat until it shimmers, and pour it over the scallions so they sizzle and soften.
For the dipping sauce, whisk the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and warm water until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the garlic and chili and set aside.
Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels. Heat a bánh khọt pan or a cast-iron æbleskiver pan over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, until a drop of water flicked on the surface sizzles at once.
Add about 1 tsp of the frying oil to each well, stir the batter, then fill each well about two-thirds full (roughly 1 tbsp/15 ml). Immediately press one shrimp into the centre of each pancake; it should sizzle loudly.
Cook undisturbed for 2 minutes, then cover the pan for 2 minutes so the shrimp set. Uncover and keep cooking for 3-5 minutes, until the rims are deep golden, crisp and pulling away from the wells.
Drizzle a little scallion oil over each pancake, loosen the edges with a small spatula or thin knife, and lift them out onto a warm plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, stirring it each time and adding oil as needed.
Pile the lettuce and herbs on a platter and serve the bánh khọt hot and crisp, so each one can be wrapped in a lettuce leaf with herbs and dipped into the sauce.
Regional variant: Bánh khọt nhân đậu xanh (mung bean bánh khọt)
Soak 1/2 cup (100 g) split mung beans in water for 2 hours, drain, steam until soft, then mash with a pinch of salt. Drop a small spoonful of the mash into each oiled well before adding the batter and the shrimp, and cook exactly as above; the cakes turn heartier and faintly sweet.
Cook's notes
- Keep the batter thin — if it thickens as it stands, stir in a splash of cold water.
- The pan must be properly hot and every well generously oiled, or the pancakes stick instead of crisping.
- Cook in batches and serve at once; the cakes lose their crunch quickly as they cool.
Serve with
Butter lettuce, mint, cilantro and Thai basil, with nước chấm fish sauce dip.
Make ahead and storage
The batter keeps, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 day — stir well before cooking. Finished pancakes are best fresh but reheat in a hot oiled skillet until crisp again.
