Bánh Khọt (Crispy Vietnamese Mini Pancakes)

If you love bánh xèo, then you're going to love bánh khọt! As someone who grew up actually not liking banh xeo that much, banh khot is actually one of my favorites! Banh khot is the lesser known cousin of banh xeo. They are mini sizzling crepes, commonly made with shrimp! They're crispy, bite sized, coconutty pancakes that you can wrap in lettuce and dunk in nuoc mam cham for a delicious satisfying meal or appetizer!

What is Bánh Khọt?

Bánh khọt are Vietnamese mini savory pancakes made from a rice flour based batter mixed with coconut milk and turmeric. They are cooked in a pan with small wells, which gives them their round shape and crispy bottom.

They are typically topped with shrimp and served wrapped in lettuce with herbs and dipped in nuoc cham, creating a balance of crispy, fresh, and savory flavors.

Why you’ll love this Bánh Khọt Recipe

• Crispy texture – Each pancake has a golden crispy bottom with a soft center.
• Uses pantry staple ingredients – Most ingredients are simple and easy to find.
• Balanced flavor – Coconut milk adds richness while herbs and vegetables keep it fresh.
• Fun to eat – Wrap in lettuce and dip in nuoc cham for each bite.
• Works as an appetizer or meal – Easy to serve and share.

Ingredients

Banh Khot

• Rice flour: The base of the batter which gives banh khot its light and crispy texture.
• Tapioca starch: Adds a slight chewy texture.
• All purpose flour: Gives the batter structure.
• Salt: To season the batter.
• Turmeric powder: The ingredient that makes banh khot that golden warm yellow!
• Coconut milk: Adds a rich, fatty and nutty flavor to the batter.
• Club soda: Creates the light and lacy batter when cooking. Use cold club soda!
• Scallions: Greens only. Adds a subtle onion flavor and texture to the banh khot.

For serving:

• Lettuce: Bib lettuce or romaine lettuce work great.
• Cucumber: For freshness and crunch.
• Pickled daikon radish and carrots: Adds a nice sweet acidity.
• Herbs: Mint and cilantro go great with it!
• Nuoc cham: Make your own at home!

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make Bánh Khọt (Crispy Vietnamese Mini Pancakes)

You need a bánh khọt pan or an aebleskiver pan for this, which you can find easily online. The individual wells are what give each cake its perfect round shape and that crispy bottom. A seasoned cast iron aebleskiver pan is best but at the time of shooting this, I didn't have one so I opted for a different cast iron pan that I can also use to make mini banh xeo.

• Step 1: In a bowl, whisk together rice flour, tapioca starch, all-purpose flour, salt, turmeric powder, coconut milk, scallions and club soda until combined. Let the batter rest for 15–30 minutes to bloom.

• Step 2: In a bánh khọt or aebleskiver pan over low heat, cook the shrimp for 30 seconds. Flip and sear for another 10-20 seconds and remove from pan. Wipe down any excess moisture in the pan with a paper towel.

• Step 3: Add a little oil and tilt the pan to coat all sides with the oil. Give the batter a whisk, as the starch tends to settle at the bottom. Once mixed, add 2 tablespoons of the batter to one of the wells and tilt the pan to coat evenly. Repeat for the remaining wells. Tip: tilt the pan around to evenly distribute the batter immediately right after pouring.

• Step 4: Add the shrimp on top and gently push it down into the batter so it sticks.

• Step 5: Continue cooking on low heat. Brush the sides with oil and allow it to continue cooking until the bottom gets golden brown and crispy.

• Step 6: Once crispy, remove from heat onto a wire rack and enjoy immediately wrapped in lettuce and herbs and dipped in fish sauce.

Substitutions and Variations

• Shrimp: You can substitute with other proteins if preferred.
• Lettuce: Bib lettuce or romaine both work well.
• Herbs: Mint and cilantro are recommended, but you can adjust based on preference.
• Pickled vegetables: Pickled daikon and carrots add acidity, but can be adjusted or omitted based on what you have.

FAQ

Other recipes to try:

• My lemongrass chicken recipe that's perfect for meal prepping!
• A fun and crunchy take on crispy rice salad and Spam musubi!
• A childhood favorite: caramelized pork belly!

Print Recipe

Bánh Khọt (Crispy Vietnamese Mini Pancakes)

These Bánh Khọt (Crispy Vietnamese Mini Pancakes) are made with a rice flour and coconut milk batter, topped with shrimp and cooked until golden around the edges. They are light, slightly chewy in the center, and meant to be wrapped in lettuce with fresh herbs and dipped in fish sauce. It’s a simple, satisfying dish that works as both an appetizer or a full meal!

Course: Appetizer, Lunch

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Equipment

• Banh khot or aebleskiver pan

Ingredients

• 12 oz black tiger shrimp shell and tail removed
• ½ cup rice flour
• ¼ cup tapioca starch
• 2 tbsps all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• ¼ cup coconut milk
• 1 cup club soda very cold
• 2 scallions greens only, sliced

Instructions

• In a bowl, whisk together rice flour, tapioca starch, all-purpose flour, salt, turmeric powder, coconut milk, scallions and club soda until combined. Let the batter rest for 15–30 minutes to bloom.
• In a bánh khọt or aebleskiver pan over low heat, cook the shrimp for 30 seconds. Flip and sear for another 10-20 seconds and remove from pan. Wipe down any excess moisture in the pan with a paper towel.
• Add a little oil and tilt the pan to coat all sides with the oil. Give the batter a whisk, as the starch tends to settle at the bottom. Once mixed, add 2 tablespoons of the batter to one of the wells and tilt the pan to coat evenly. Repeat for the remaining wells. Tip: tilt the pan around to evenly distribute the batter immediately right after pouring.
• Add the shrimp on top and gently push it down into the batter so it sticks.
• Continue cooking on low heat. Brush the sides with oil and allow it to continue cooking until the bottom gets golden brown and crispy.
• Once crispy, remove from heat onto a wire rack and enjoy immediately wrapped in lettuce and herbs and dipped in fish sauce.

Notes

• Cook it low and slow! This will help draw out any moisture from the batter and create that crunchy crisp we're looking for.
• Use a well seasoned cast iron aebleskiver pan if possible. Cast iron achieves the crispiness better than a non-stick pan. However, make sure it's well seasoned so it doesn't stick!
• Oil is your friend here! Oil helps to make sure nothing is sticking to the pan and is also used to brush the sides to get it crispy.