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Central-style pancakes
Serves 4–6 as a snack Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 50g dried mung beans, soaked overnight then drained
- 2tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 400g raw prawns, shell on
- 200g boneless pork belly, fat trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 spring onion, thinly sliced
- 50g bean sprouts
- white pepper
For the pancake batter
- 80g rice flour
- 20g plain flour
- 1⁄2tsp sea salt
- 1tsp ground turmeric
- 160ml coconut cream
- 160ml soda water, chilled
- 1 spring onion, thinly sliced
To serve
- 12 mustard green leaves
- handful perilla leaves, available to buy in Asian supermarkets
- 1 handful mint leaves
- 100ml nuoc cham
- bamboo steamer or steamer basket
- 15-18cm crêpe pan
For Nuoc Cham
- 11⁄2tbsp fish sauce
- 11⁄2tbsp white vinegar
- 1tbsp sugar
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1⁄2 bird’s eye chilli, finely chopped
- juice of 1⁄2 lime
Method
Half-fill a steamer, wok or large saucepan with water and bring to a rapid boil over a high heat.
Line the steamer with baking paper and punch a few small holes in the paper. Drain the mung beans and place them in the steamer, then set over the pan and cover with a lid. Steam for 15 minutes, or until the beans are soft. Remove and set aside.
To make the pancake batter, sift the rice flour and plain flour into a bowl, add the salt and turmeric and mix well. Pour the coconut cream and soda water into the bowl and whisk to a smooth batter. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and prawns and stir-fry for 2 minutes, or until the prawns are just cooked. Remove the prawns and set aside, then wipe the pan clean, add the remaining oil and repeat this process with the pork belly.
Lightly oil the crêpe pan and place it over a medium heat. Sprinkle a third of the spring onions into the pan and pour a third of the batter into the centre, then turn the pan to spread the batter over the entire surface. Pour any excess back into the bowl.
Scatter some mung beans, prawns, pork, spring onion and bean sprouts over half of the pancake. Season with salt and white pepper, then reduce the heat to low and cook for about 6 minutes, or until the pancake is crisp and browned.
Using a spatula, fold the pancake in half and slide it on to a large plate. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
To serve, cut the pancakes into three or four pieces. Pick up a mustard green leaf and top it with a pancake piece and a couple of perilla and mint leaves. Roll the leaf up to form a parcel and dip it into nuoc cham before eating.
TO DO 100ML OF NUOC CHAM :
Combine the fish sauce, white vinegar, sugar and 60ml water in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir well and cook until just before boiling point is reached, then allow to cool. Stir in the garlic, chilli and lime juice, then serve. It will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week.
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