CRISPY VEGETABLE CRÊPES 122 BÁNH XÈO CHAY

Ingredienser

For the salad

any lettuce leaves

selection of Vietnamese herbs (page 14)

For the dipping sauce

2½ tablespoons marmalade

3 teaspoons English mustard

2½ tablespoons soy sauce juice of ¾ lime (about 2 tablespoons)

2 bird's eye chillies, sliced

For the batter

150 g (5 oz) frozen spinach, defrosted for 1 hour

200 ml (7 fl oz/scant 1 cup) water

200 g (7 oz/generous 1 cup) rice flour

400 ml (13 fl oz/generous 1½ cups) coconut milk

200 ml (7 fl oz/scant 1 cup) cold sparkling water

1 spring onion (scallion), thinly sliced

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

½ teaspoon sea salt or mushroom seasoning

For the filling

150 ml (5 fl oz/scant ⅔ cup) rapeseed (canola) oil

3 small round shallots, sliced

1 courgette (zucchini), julienned

100 g (3½ oz) kale, stem removed, thinly sliced

100 g (3½ oz) bean sprouts

50 g (1¾ oz) garlic chives, cut into 4 cm (1½ in) strips

2 tablespoons capers

100 g (3½ oz) kimchi, sliced (optional)

Vejledning

Wash and dry the salad leaves and herbs and set. them aside. Mix the dipping sauce ingredients together and decant into individual bowls. To make the crêpe batter, put the frozen spinach into a blender with the water and blend until smooth. In a mixing bowl, mix together the rice flour, coconut milk, sparkling water, spring onion, nutritional yeast and salt. Add the spinach blend and whisk together until smooth and the consistency of single cream. Place all your prepped filling ingredients near the stove. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan (skillet) over a medium-high heat and fry a few slices of shallot until golden. Using a shallow ladle, mix the crêpe batter well to ensure even consistency and pour in a thin layer, swirling the pan to get it covered to the edges. Add a handful of the courgette, kale bean sprouts and chives, then cover the pan with the lid. Keep the steam in and allow to cook for

2 minutes.

Remove the lid, dot with the capers and

scatter the kimchi (if using) around. Cook for

a further 1-2 minutes, making sure the cripe

is crisp and golden. Fold the crêpe in half,

serve or set aside. Repeat this process to make

the rest of the bánh xèo.

To eat, gather a lettuce leaf on the palm

of your hand and fill it up with an abundance of

herbs. Break off a piece of bánh xèo and place

it onto your herb-filled lettuce leaf. Roll up the

package into a cigar, dip it in the sauce and

tuck in.

Notater

NOTES

If you want to make these ahead, set them on a baking tray (pan) side by side. When reacy to serve, preheat a fan oven to 230°C (450°F/gas 8)

and warm the bánh xèo for 5 minutes. Add whatever vegetables vou have, but make sure you slice them thinly so that there is crunch but not too much work chewing.