Food: Banh Xeo

Banh Xeo or Vietnamese Crepes, by far is one of my favorite Vietnamese food to eat (besides pho). It is extremely fresh when wrapped around fresh herbs and lettuce. I can eat this dish for days...oh wait..I did eat it for four days.... The thought of this still makes me salivate. Did I mention all this for under 25$?..So cheeep.

The ingredients are so simple: pork belly, shrimp, white onions, and mung beans. I marinaded the pork belly the night before with garlic, dash of salt and pepper and nuoc mam (fish sauce). I cooked the pork until the fish sauce carmelized on the outside, and cut it into thin slices. The shrimp was also marinaded with the same ingredients and cooked beforehand, but was not thoroughly cooked to avoid overcooking when placed in the crepe.

Thankfully, my mom told me to avoid buying the pre-made banh xeo packages at the oriental markets since they tend to mix potato starch with the rice flour. This makes the crepes less crispy. Try making your own by buying pure rice flour and add a teaspoon of turmeric, coconut milk, and thinly sliced scallions! I didn't even need to add beer or baking powder to make this crispy. Unlike the pre-made mix, the crepes were thinner and crispier.

With the help of my two roommates, we prepared this entire meal under 1.5 hours. Go teamwork! Don't forget the classic newspapers for easy clean up.

Thai chili is the cherry on top.