SERVES 4 TO 6
Jeremy and I spent our honeymoon in Vietnam. It was the trip of a lifetime. After a few days in Hanoi, we flew to Hoi An, a small, centuries-old village with a vibrant history, a garment- and craft-making tradition, a fabulous market, and great food. There we discovered banh xeo, savory pancakes made with eggs and often rice flour that are cooked with shrimp, sprouts, and sometimes pork, then piled with fried shallots, fresh Thai basil, and mint. We ate them for breakfast and lunch, dipped in nuoc cham, an addictive sweet-salty concoction of fish sauce, chilies, lime juice, and garlic. The dish is remarkably easy to make at home (if you’ve ever made a frittata, you’ll see some similarities); we make it often for ourselves and for brunch and dinner parties, too.
2 tablespoons warm water
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1½ teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce (such as nuoc nam or nam pla)
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 small Thai chili, seeded and thinly sliced; or ¼ teaspoon crushed chili flakes
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
1 cup thinly sliced shallots (about 2 large)
½ cup canola oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs
½ cup cold water
2 tablespoons fish sauce (such as nuoc nam or nam pla)
¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into ½-inch pieces
2 scallions, cut into ¼-inch slices
½ cup bean sprouts (optional)
⅓ cup thinly sliced basil leaves, divided
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons torn mint leaves
Sriracha hot sauce for serving
Special equipment: 10- to 12-inch oven-safe nonstick skillet
For the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the warm water, lime juice, vinegar, and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the fish sauce, soy sauce, chili, and garlic and set aside.
For the shallots: Place a mesh sieve over a bowl. Combine the shallots and canola oil in a small saucepan or skillet (not nonstick); cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are golden brown and caramelized, 18 to 22 minutes (this happens quickly at the end). Remove from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to the prepared sieve. Let drain well, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; drain and blot with paper towels to absorb excess oil, then transfer to a clean, dry paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside (shallots will continue to dry and crisp as they sit).
For the omelet: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, cold water, and fish sauce. In a separate large mixing bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients then pour in the wet ingredients. Using a whisk, work from the center out to slowly incorporate the dry ingredients. This will help avoid lumps. Once incorporated, whisk vigorously to combine until the batter is smooth. Fold in the shrimp, scallions, sprouts (if using), and 3 tablespoons of the basil. Let the batter rest for at least 15 minutes (or up to 1 hour) to let the air bubbles settle and ensure even cooking.
Heat the oven to broil with the rack about 6 inches from the heat source. In the 10- to 12-inch oven-safe nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Pour in the egg mixture, spreading out the shrimp evenly. Cook until the edges bubble up and begin to dry and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes, then broil for 4 to 6 minutes, watching carefully until the omelet has puffed up and is golden around the edges, and the egg is set. Carefully slide the omelet onto a large serving platter. Sprinkle with fried shallots, mint, and the remaining basil. Cut into wedges. Serve the dipping sauce and Sriracha on the side.