Recipe: Banh xeo and nuoc cham (Sizzling crepes with dipping sauce)

Serves 6

1/2 cup (90g) rice flour

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 cup (125ml) water

1/4 cup (60ml) coconut milk

1/2 tsp sesame oil

200g pork mince

200g small green prawns, peeled, deveined

1 tbs vegetable oil

4 green onions, trimmed, thinly sliced diagonally

1 cup (55g) bean sprouts

1/2 cup Vietnamese mint leaves

1/2 cup coriander leaves

Nuoc cham**, to serve

1. Combine the flour, turmeric, water and coconut milk in a medium bowl. Season with salt and ground white pepper. Set aside for 30 minutes to rest.
2. Heat the sesame oil in a wok over high heat. Add the pork and cook, turning to break up any lumps, for 3-4 minutes or until cooked through. Add the prawns and cook, tossing, for 2 minutes or until prawns change colour and curl. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
3. Heat a little of the vegetable oil in a small non-stick frying pan over high heat until almost smoking. Add 2 tablespoons of crepe batter and swirl to cover the base of the frying pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden. Spoon one-sixth of the pork mixture over half the crepe and sprinkle with green onion, bean sprouts, mint and coriander. Fold the remaining half over the pork mixture to enclose. Gently transfer to a serving plate. Repeat in 5 more batches with remaining batter, pork mixture, green onion, sprouts, mint and coriander. Serve immediately with pickled vegetables and nuoc cham.

** Nuoc cham dipping sauce

Makes 1 cup (250ml)

¼ cup (60ml) boiling water

¼ cup (45g) finely chopped palm sugar

¼ cup (60ml) fish sauce

2 tbs coconut vinegar*

2 tbs lime juice

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 red birdseye chilli, seeded (optional), finely chopped

½ stalk lemongrass, white part only, finely chopped

1. Combine the water and sugar in a small heatproof bowl and stir until sugar dissolves. Add the fish sauce, vinegar, lime juice, garlic, chilli and lemongrass. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill.

* Coconut vinegar is made from the sweet sap of the coconut tree and is available from Asian grocery stores.

Recipes: Sarah Hobbs. Photography: Ben Dearnley. Styling: Michelle Noerianto