Bánh Xèo

Bánh xèo is a turmeric-yellow rice-flour crepe fried until the edges turn lace-thin and crackling, folded over shrimp, pork and bean sprout. The name means "sizzling cake," a direct reference to the loud hiss the thin batter makes the instant it hits a hot, oiled pan — a sound loud enough that street stalls selling it are often audible before they're visible.

What it really is

A thin batter of rice flour, water and turmeric, which gives the crepe its bright yellow colour, pours into a wide, very hot pan already slicked with oil, and the sizzle starts the moment it lands. Shrimp, sliced pork belly and bean sprout scatter over one half while the batter is still wet, and the crepe folds over itself once the edges crisp and lift cleanly from the pan. Unlike a soft French crêpe, the goal here is maximum crispness — a thin, almost lacy crust that shatters rather than folds soft.

It's eaten by hand, torn and wrapped, not cut with cutlery. A piece gets torn off, wrapped in a lettuce or mustard leaf with a sprig of mint or perilla, and dipped in nước chấm — the wrapping and dipping is as much a part of the dish as the crepe itself, and skipping it changes the dish into something closer to a plain fried pancake.

How it's served

• Whole or torn into pieces, wrapped in lettuce with fresh herbs before dipping.
• With a bowl of nước chấm, a lime-and-fish-sauce dip, for dipping each wrapped piece.
• As a main dish or shared plate, common for lunch or as a casual dinner.

How to write it on the menu

• Flag the shellfish.
• Say if a vegetarian version, swapping in mushroom or tofu for the shrimp and pork, is available.
• Note that it's eaten wrapped in lettuce and herbs by hand, since a guest unfamiliar with the format may otherwise reach for a fork and knife.