Western pancakes - A dish of harmonious combination

In Asian countries, especially in countries like Vietnam, Japan, and North Korea, banh xeo is a very popular cake. Each country will have a completely different way of preparing banh xeo, although it is also made from rice flour, the way to create a banh xeo and its shape are also completely different, thereby creating a unique identity for the unique cuisine of each country and that is also the reason why banh xeo of the Southwest region in particular and Vietnamese banh xeo in general are imbued with the "Vietnamese soul" of their homeland.

Derived from the sizzling sound when poured on the pan, the name "banh xeo" was also born. Western pancakes are a unique combination of Southern folk culinary culture. Western banh xeo and central region banh xeo are relatively similar, but western banh xeo is much larger than central region banh xeo and there will be many types of fillings such as chicken, duck, minced pork or pork, shrimp, prawns. And most especially, Western pancakes are also served with over 20 quite rich and diverse garden vegetables such as lettuce, fish mint, ambarella leaves,...

To create a delicious and nutritious banh xeo, you need the following ingredients: Rice, turmeric powder, you can use a little coconut milk, a few eggs and especially to make it more delicious. Inside the filling can be ingredients such as mussels, minced meat, shrimp, shrimp, etc.

Whether banh xeo is delicious or not largely depends on how the dough is mixed. First is soaking the rice, the delicious rice grains saved for the cake will be soaked overnight, put in a mortar, then use a thin cloth to remove impurities and add another type of smooth flour. Next, we will have to add a little turmeric powder to give the cake an eye-catching yellow color, some places also add a little coconut milk to make the cake more fatty or add a few eggs to the cake has more fragrance. After that, the shrimp and meat will be washed and sliced, wait for the pan to heat up, add a little cooking oil and start stir-frying the ingredients, seasoning until you feel it's just right, then put it in a bowl. Next to that will be another pan put on the stove, add cooking oil and spread two tablespoons of flour around the edge of the pan, add the previous filling, plus a little bean sprouts and tapioca starch, about 2-3 minutes later. Then, we will fold the banh xeo in half and turn over it until both sides of the banh xeo are crispy, then put it on a plate. So a delicious and beautiful pancake is neatly there waiting for us to enjoy!

The dipping sauce is also a part of the "soul" to increase the deliciousness of banh xeo, requiring a harmonious combination of the spicy taste of chili and the sour taste of lemon, a little sweetness of sugar and a little saltiness of fish sauce. Then we can add a little carrot or white radish to make the dipping sauce more attractive and beautiful.

For the people of the South, banh xeo is considered very important and sacred, and since then, banh xeo has also been considered by the people here as the national dish of Vietnamese cuisine. It can be seen on occasions such as Doan Ngo Festival, the 5th day of the 5th lunar month or during worship occasions, banh xeo always appeared. More specifically, on occasions when gathering with family, children and grandchildren, people will make banh xeo so that everyone can enjoy and remember the specialties of their homeland.

Having a banh xeo is an "art", the person who pours out a delicious banh xeo is an "artist". Although it sounds simple, making a full-flavored, rich and fragrant banh xeo is not an easy task. Anyone can make banh xeo, but delicious banh xeo requires a lot of learning to master making it. In addition to the yellowness of turmeric, the richness of coconut milk, and the crunchiness of flour, the accompanying vegetables also contribute to creating the "imprint" of this cake in the South. Bite into a piece of banh xeo, dip it in a bowl of fish sauce, somewhere the initial crunchiness, the sweetness of the meat, the fatty taste of coconut milk, the sourness of young mango shoots, the pungent aroma of herbs, fish mint,... all blend harmoniously to create a pancake with a strong western flavor.