Bánh khoái is a Huế specialty: a small, thicker, crisp-edged pancake coloured with turmeric and made from rice-flour batter. It is often compared with bánh xèo, but the Huế version is typically smaller and served with a thick, savoury nước lèo. Regional recipes differ in their batter, fillings and greens; this home adaptation uses shrimp, pork belly, quail eggs and bean sprouts, then pairs them with a peanut-and-pork-liver sauce.
The pancakes are cooked one at a time so each can turn golden before it is folded. Serve them straight from the skillet with cool lettuce, herbs, cucumber and tangy starfruit. You can wrap a piece of pancake and herbs in lettuce, then dip it into the warm sauce.
Whisk the rice flour, wheat flour, 20 g tapioca starch, turmeric and salt together. Gradually whisk in 400 ml water until smooth, then fold in the scallions. Leave the batter to rest for 20 minutes. Keep raw pork and shrimp chilled and separate from the washed greens.
Make the sauce. Heat 15 ml oil in a saucepan and cook the shallot and garlic for 1 minute. Add the ground pork and liver; break them up and cook thoroughly, stirring, until no raw areas remain and the mixture reaches at least 71°C. Add the peanuts, hoisin, fish sauce, sugar and 300 ml water or stock. Simmer gently for 8–10 minutes. Mix 8 g tapioca starch with 20 ml cold water, stir it into the pan and simmer until the sauce is thick and glossy. Keep hot.
Pat the pork and shrimp dry. Lightly oil a 15 cm skillet and heat it over medium. Cook about 30 g pork and 30 g shrimp per batch, turning as needed. The pork must reach 63°C and rest for 3 minutes; cook shrimp until firm, pearly and opaque, or to 63°C. Transfer to a clean plate. Repeat, washing hands and utensils after handling raw ingredients.
Stir the rested batter. Lightly oil the skillet and set it over medium-high heat. Pour in one sixth of the batter and swirl it into a small, thicker pancake. Add one sixth of the cooked pork and shrimp, 25 g bean sprouts and 2 quail eggs, cracked into the centre. Cover briefly so the batter sets and the eggs cook fully to 71°C. Uncover and cook for 3–5 minutes, until the bottom is deep golden and crisp. Fold the pancake in half. Repeat with the remaining batter and filling, adding a little oil between cakes.
Wash and dry the lettuce, herbs, cucumber and starfruit with clean equipment. Serve each pancake hot with the warm sauce and fresh accompaniments. Wrap pieces of pancake and herbs in lettuce if you like, then dip them in the sauce.
Serve the pancakes as soon as they leave the skillet, with the warm sauce in a shared bowl. Lettuce and herbs give each bite a fresh contrast to the crisp batter and rich filling. If starfruit is unavailable, serve extra cucumber and a wedge of lime; the flavour will be less tart. The wheat flour supports the pancake’s structure; replacing it with a gluten-free blend changes the texture and requires a blend intended for cooking. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at or below 4°C and use within 3–4 days. Reheat to 74°C. Discard food left at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. Pancakes lose crispness in storage, so reheat them uncovered in a skillet or oven. Keep fresh greens separate until serving.
The batter is lumpy: whisk in the water gradually; let it stand, then whisk again before cooking. The pancake sticks or tears: let the skillet heat fully, use a light film of oil and wait until the edges release before folding. The centre stays soft: use a smaller amount of batter, keep the pan uncovered for the final few minutes and cook until the centre is set. The sauce is too thick: stir in warm water a tablespoon at a time. The sauce is too thin: simmer it a little longer, or add a small additional starch slurry and simmer until glossy.
Is bánh khoái the same as bánh xèo? They are related Vietnamese savoury pancakes, but Huế bánh khoái is commonly smaller and thicker, with a crisp shell and a rich peanut-and-liver sauce. Recipes vary, so these differences are useful guides rather than strict rules. Can I make the batter ahead? Yes. Mix it and refrigerate, covered, for up to one day. Stir well before using and let it sit briefly at room temperature while you prepare the fillings. What if I cannot find starfruit? Serve cucumber and lettuce with a little lime. The fresh, slightly sour element will be different, but the pancakes will still be well balanced.
These are approximate estimates from the ingredient quantities and six servings. Pork belly fat, oil absorbed by the pancakes, and sauce brands can change the values.
Contains shrimp (crustaceans), eggs, fish, peanuts, wheat/gluten and soy (hoisin). Check package labels for additional allergens and cross-contact. Keep pork, shrimp and liver chilled at or below 4°C. Use separate boards and utensils for raw meat and seafood and ready-to-eat greens; wash hands, tools and surfaces after raw handling. Cook pork to 63°C and rest it for 3 minutes. Shrimp should be firm, pearly and opaque or reach 63°C. Cook quail eggs fully to 71°C. Simmer the liver and ground-pork sauce to at least 71°C. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at or below 4°C, use within 3–4 days, and reheat to 74°C. Discard food left out for more than 2 hours.
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