In the vibrant world of Vietnamese cuisine, few dishes capture the essence of delight as vividly as bánh khoái, aptly named the joy pancake. This crisp, savoury creation hails from Hue, the historic capital of Vietnam's central region, and has been reimagined by chef Thuy Diem Pham in a way that preserves its traditional spirit while embracing modern accessibility.
The Joyful Origins of Bánh Khoái
Bánh khoái, which translates to delight or joy cake, is more than just a meal; it's an experience designed to evoke happiness with every bite. Originating in Hue, this pancake is traditionally served with a rich hoisin dipping sauce, but Pham's innovative take introduces a lighter sesame nước chấm, enhancing the dish without compromising its joyful texture and bold, satisfying flavours.
Recipe Details and Preparation
This recipe requires just 10 minutes of prep time and 25 minutes of cooking, serving four people. Key ingredients include vegetable oil, eggs, king prawns, spring onions, beansprouts, and crispy fried shallots for garnish. The batter combines rice flour, plain flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, ground turmeric, and coconut cream, whisked until smooth.
For those seeking a vegetarian alternative, the prawns can be swapped for smoked or marinated tofu, served with sweet soy sauce. The dish is accompanied by a fresh salad featuring pineapple, star fruit or green mango, baby gem lettuce, pea shoots, rocket, Thai basil, and purple perilla, the latter available in most Asian food stores.
Cooking Instructions
To prepare, heat a cast-iron skillet or nonstick frying pan with oil, pour in the batter, and swirl to coat evenly. Drizzle with beaten egg, add prawns, spring onion, and beansprouts, then cook until crisp and golden. Fold the pancake to enclose the filling and repeat for four servings. Arrange the salad on a platter, garnish with crispy fried shallots, and serve with the sesame nước chấm for dipping.
Enjoying the Joy Pancake
To eat, wrap pieces of the pancake in lettuce with herbs and fruit, dip into the sesame nước chấm, and savour every joyful bite. This recipe is an edited extract from Thuy Diem Pham's cookbook, One Pan Vietnam, published by Quadrille at £22, offering a deeper exploration of Vietnamese culinary traditions.
With its blend of traditional roots and accessible ingredients, this joy pancake recipe invites home cooks to experience the bold, satisfying flavours of Vietnam, making it a perfect addition to any meal for those seeking a taste of culinary delight.
