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This bánh khọt recipe is identical to my bánh xèo (Vietnamese crepe) batter—the only difference is how it’s cooked. Instead of a large skillet, you make these in a special bánh khọt pan or a takoyaki pan, both of which you can easily find online. Each little mold creates a golden, crispy, bite-sized pancake that’s perfect for wrapping in lettuce with herbs and dipping sauce.
The key to achieving that signature crisp texture is to let the batter rest overnight. When you’re ready to cook, take the batter straight from the refrigerator and pour it into the hot pan while it’s still cold. The temperature contrast helps create that light, crisp edge and tender center that makes bánh khọt so irresistible.
I like to cook my shrimp ahead of time and then add them to the mini pancakes as they cook, though I’ve seen others cook the shrimp directly in the batter. Both ways work, but pre-cooking ensures the shrimp are perfectly done and easy to manage when you’re making multiple batches.
If you want to make a vegan version, you can easily swap the shrimp for mushrooms, tofu, or a mix of both—the texture and flavor still hold up beautifully.
I still remember visiting Vietnam years ago and watching the street vendors make these. They’d stand by a sizzling hot pan, moving quickly and gracefully, filling each mold with batter and topping it with shrimp and scallion oil. The smell of turmeric and coconut milk wafting through the air was unforgettable. These are the kind of dishes that feel like a little piece of home—snack-sized, handheld, and bursting with flavor.
To serve, drizzle each mini pancake with green onion oil, then wrap it in red leaf lettuce with herbs and shredded green papaya. Dip it in fish dipping sauce (nước chấm) for the perfect bite—crispy, fresh, and tangy all at once.
You can even enjoy it deconstructed—place the pancakes in a bowl, top with lettuce, herbs, and papaya, and use the fish sauce as your dressing.
And here’s a tip: you can freeze any leftover batter or use it to make bánh xèo later. Both dishes share the same roots and flavors, but each brings its own charm to the table.
Bánh khọt is truly one of those dishes that celebrates the beauty of Vietnamese street food—small, simple, and full of texture and flavor in every bite.
Banh Khot
Ingredients
Batter mix:
- 2 cups rice flour, it’s important it’s an Asian brand
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ Tbsp turmeric powder
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- 12 fl oz or 1 ½ cups beer
- 3 cups sparkling water
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ⅓ cup chives, chopped
Greenonion oil:
- avocado oil, or any neutral cooking oil
- green onions, chopped
Crepe filling:
- 3 lbs shrimp, peeled and drained
- green onion oil
Optional garnish:
- red leaf lettuce
- vietnamese herbs , or any herbs of your choice
- green papaya, shredded
- fish dipping sauce
Instructions
- In a large skillet, on medium high heat, add oil and cook shrimp. Set aside.
- Put all the dry ingredients of the batter mix in a large bowl and mix together. Then add coconut milk, beer, carbonated water, oil and chives. Mix well.
- Put the batter mix in the fridge and let it rest for at least 2-3 hours, preferably overnight.
- Make scallion oil by adding oil into small saucepan. As soon as oil is nice and hot, remove from heat and add chopped green onions. Set aside.
- Remember to stir the batter well before cooking the mini pancakes.
- In a special banh khot pan on high heat, brush each hole with 1 tsp of oil. Once hot and the oil is sizzling, pour around ¾ full of batter into each hole.
- Add one shrimp to each pancake.
- Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove lid. Turn heat to high and add oil to each pancake. Cook for 2 minutes until bottom of each Banh Khot is a nice brown.
- Remove from pan.
- Garnish with a dollop of green onion oil onto each mini pancake.
- To serve, you can roll the banh khot with red leaf lettuce and dip with fish dipping sauce, or you can put the crepe in a bowl, add all the herbs and lettuce and eat it like a salad with fish dipping sauce as your dressing.
Notes
Nutrition
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