In this guide
Bánh khọt are bite-size, crispy Vietnamese pancakes from the coastal city of Vũng Tàu. A batter of rice flour, coconut milk and turmeric is cooked in a cast-iron pan with small round molds, each topped with a whole shrimp and scallions. To eat them, you wrap one in lettuce or rice paper with herbs and pickles and dip it in nước chấm. At home, the main thing you need is a bánh khọt pan.
Key takeaways
- Small and crispy: golden edges with a soft, creamy center.
- From Vũng Tàu, on Vietnam’s southern coast.
- Needs a molded pan: a bánh khọt pan, or an aebleskiver or takoyaki-style pan.
- Shrimp on top and scallion oil are classic.
- Wrap, dip, eat in one bite, like a mini version of bánh xèo.
If you love bánh xèo, bánh khọt are its bite-size cousin. This guide covers what bánh khọt are, the pan you’ll need, how to eat them and a reliable banh khot recipe for home.
What is bánh khọt?
Bánh khọt are small round pancakes made from a rice flour and coconut milk batter tinted yellow with turmeric. They’re cooked in a cast-iron pan with many shallow round molds, so the outside turns crisp while the center stays soft. A whole shrimp is pressed into each one, then topped with scallions. Vietnam Tourism describes Vũng Tàu as the dish’s birthplace.
Bánh khọt vs. bánh xèo
| Bánh khọt | Bánh xèo | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Bite-size rounds | Large folded crêpe |
| Pan | Molded cast-iron pan | Flat skillet |
| Texture | Crispy outside, soft center | Thin and crispy |
| Topping / filling | Shrimp on top | Pork, shrimp and sprouts inside |
Making bánh xèo instead? Use our banh xeo recipe.
The pan you’ll need
Bánh khọt are cooked in a pan with small round wells, usually cast iron. It’s sold as a bánh khọt pan (khuôn bánh khọt) at Vietnamese and Asian grocery stores and online. An aebleskiver or takoyaki-style pan with similar wells can work too, though the cakes may come out a bit deeper. Season cast iron well and oil every well generously.
Bánh khọt recipe
Prep: 20 min (plus 30 min resting) · Cook: 30 min · Total: About 1¼ hr · Makes: About 30 pancakes
For the batter
- 1 cup (about 140 g) rice flour (not glutinous)
- 2 tbsp tapioca starch or cornstarch
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) coconut milk
- 1 cup (240 ml) cold water
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
For the topping
- 30 small shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced, for scallion oil
- 3 tbsp neutral oil, for scallion oil
- Neutral oil, for the pan
To serve
- Lettuce or mustard greens, and rice paper (optional)
- Mint, perilla and Thai basil
- Pickled carrot and daikon
- Nước chấm
Instructions
Mix the batter
Whisk the rice flour, starch, turmeric and salt with the coconut milk and water until smooth, stir in the scallions and rest for at least 30 minutes.
Prep the shrimp and scallion oil
Season the shrimp lightly. Heat 3 tbsp oil until shimmering and pour it over the sliced scallions.
Heat the pan
Heat the bánh khọt pan over medium-high heat and add about ½ teaspoon of oil to each well.
Fill and cover
Stir the batter and fill each well about three-quarters full. It should sizzle. Cover and cook for 2–3 minutes.
Add the shrimp
Uncover, press a shrimp into each cake and cook uncovered for 3–5 minutes more, until the edges are crisp and golden and lift away easily.
Finish and serve
Spoon a little scallion oil on top, lift out with a small spoon, and serve hot with greens, herbs, pickles and nước chấm. Re-oil the wells for each batch.
How to eat bánh khọt
Wrap
Place a bánh khọt on a lettuce or mustard green leaf, or on softened rice paper.
Add herbs and pickles
Add mint, perilla or basil and a few strands of pickled carrot and daikon.
Dip and eat
Dip in nước chấm and eat it in one or two bites. See our nuoc cham guide.
More to explore
See more Vietnamese pancakes and fritters in our street food guide, browse Vietnamese recipes, or find bánh khọt nearby on our bánh khọt page.
Frequently asked questions
What is bánh khọt?
Bánh khọt are bite-size crispy Vietnamese pancakes made from rice flour, coconut milk and turmeric, cooked in a molded pan and topped with shrimp. They come from Vũng Tàu in southern Vietnam.
What is the difference between bánh khọt and bánh xèo?
Bánh khọt are small round cakes cooked in a molded pan with shrimp on top. Bánh xèo is a large, thin, folded crêpe filled with pork, shrimp and bean sprouts.
Do I need a special pan for bánh khọt?
Yes, a pan with small round wells works best, usually a cast-iron bánh khọt pan. An aebleskiver or takoyaki-style pan can be used instead.
How do you eat bánh khọt?
Wrap a cake in lettuce, mustard greens or rice paper with herbs and pickled carrot and daikon, then dip it in nước chấm and eat it in one or two bites.
How do you pronounce bánh khọt?
Roughly “bahn kawt,” said quickly. Vietnamese is tonal, so it won’t be exact, but restaurant staff will understand.
Why do my bánh khọt stick to the pan?
The pan probably wasn’t hot enough or the wells needed more oil. Preheat well, oil every well before each batch, and wait until the edges crisp before lifting.
- Banh khot and banh can: Vietnam’s crispy mini pancakes compared, Vietnam Tourism (origin, batter, pan, toppings, serving).
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