Hue Style Shrimp and Pork Belly Crepe with Peanut Dipping Sauce

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Banh khoai is the famous golden crepe from the imperial city of Hue in central Vietnam, distinguished from its southern cousin by a thicker turmeric-laced batter and a rich, complex dipping sauce built on fermented soybean and crushed peanuts. Crisp on the outside and tender inside, it is served wrapped in rice paper with abundant fresh herbs and dunked into a sweet-savory sauce.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 610 kcalCalories
• 32 gFat
• 11 gSaturated Fat
• 58 gCarbs
• 4 gFiber
• 9 gSugar
• 28 gProtein
• 780 mgSodium
• 640 mgPotassium
• 110 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 18 mgVitamin C
• 95 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the crepe batter

• 1 cup rice flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1 tbsp melted pork fat or canola oil

For the filling

• 8 oz pork belly, thinly sliced across the grain
• 8 oz large shrimp, peeled and butterflied
• 2 cups mung bean sprouts, rinsed
• 4 green onions, sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced

For the fermented soybean dipping sauce

• 3 tbsp Vietnamese fermented soybean paste (tuong)
• 2 oz pork liver, finely diced (optional but traditional)
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely crushed
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup fresh pineapple, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Thai red chili, minced
• 2 tbsp palm sugar dissolved in 3 tbsp warm water

For wrapping and serving

• 8 rounds of dried rice paper
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1 cup cilantro sprigs
• 1 cup perilla or Vietnamese balm leaves
• 4 red leaf lettuce leaves, torn

Directions

1. Make the batter: whisk rice flour, cornstarch, turmeric, and salt in a bowl. Whisk in the egg, warm water, and coconut milk until completely smooth with the consistency of thick cream. Stir in the melted fat and let the batter rest for at least 20 minutes to relax the starch.
2. While the batter rests, build the dipping sauce: sauté the diced pork liver in a small saucepan over medium heat until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and chili and stir 30 seconds. Stir in the fermented soybean paste, hoisin, pineapple, and the palm sugar water. Simmer for 5 minutes until thick and glossy, then fold in the crushed peanuts. Keep warm.
3. Pat the shrimp and pork belly slices very dry and season lightly with salt. Trimming the pork to a uniform 1/8-inch thickness helps it crisp evenly.
4. Heat a 7-inch nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil until shimmering. Ladle in about 1/3 cup of batter, swirl to coat the pan, and immediately arrange a layer of pork slices and shrimp on one half. Scatter with bean sprouts, green onions, and shallots.
5. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the crepe underside is deep golden and crisp and the pork and shrimp are cooked through. Carefully fold the bare half over the filling to form a half-moon, slide onto a warm plate, and cover loosely to keep crisp. Repeat with the remaining batter and filling.
6. To eat, briefly dip a rice paper round in warm water for 3 to 4 seconds until pliable, lay it on a plate, and place a lettuce leaf in the center. Set a crepe on top, add a generous handful of herbs, fold the bottom of the rice paper over, tuck in the sides, and roll into a tight cylinder.
7. Serve the wrapped crepes immediately with the warm dipping sauce in a small bowl for dunking.

Cook’s Notes

• The batter should coat the back of a spoon but still pour smoothly; add a splash of water if it thickens as it sits.
• For the crispiest crust, resist the urge to flip the crepe, simply fold it once like an omelet and slide it out.
• Pork liver adds the signature depth to the Hue dipping sauce; substitute 1 extra tablespoon of fermented soybean paste if you prefer to skip it.
• Use a 7-inch skillet to get the proper thickness, banh khoai is thicker and richer than banh xeo.
• Warm rice paper is much less likely to tear; keep a damp towel over finished wrappers while you assemble.

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