Bánh xèo

In a large bowl, mix 250 g rice flour, 1 tsp turmeric and a pinch of salt. Gradually pour in 300 ml coconut milk and 300 ml water, whisking constantly to avoid lumps - the batter should turn out thin, like light cream. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature: this lets the flour hydrate fully and makes the pancakes crispier.

Meanwhile, make the nước chấm sauce: dissolve 3 tbsp sugar in 75 ml warm water, add 3 tbsp fish sauce and 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice. Finely grate 2 garlic cloves, finely chop 1 chili pepper and stir both into the sauce. Set aside.

Cut 250 g pork belly into thin slices 2-3 mm thick, season with salt and pepper to taste, drizzle with 1 tbsp fish sauce and leave to marinate for 10 minutes. Peel 300 g shrimp, thinly slice 1 onion into half-rings, finely chop 3 stalks of green onion and rinse 200 g bean sprouts.

Before frying, stir half of the chopped green onion into the batter. Heat a 24-26 cm skillet (non-stick or cast iron) over medium-high heat and pour in 1-2 tbsp sunflower oil from the reserved 100 ml.

Add a few slices of onion to the hot oil and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add a quarter of the prepared pork and cook for 2 minutes until the edges are browned, then add a quarter of the shrimp and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until they turn pink and curl up.

Immediately pour about 150 ml of batter into the center of the skillet and, tilting it in different directions, spread it into a thin, even layer over the whole surface. Scatter a handful of bean sprouts and the remaining green onion on top, cover with a lid and cook for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, until the batter sets.

Remove the lid, drizzle the edges with 1 tsp oil and cook uncovered for another 3-4 minutes over medium-low heat, until the bottom turns golden and crisp and the edges become thin and browned (do not flip the pancake). Once the edges easily release from the pan, use a spatula to fold the pancake in half, press down gently and transfer to a wire rack. Repeat three more times with the remaining batter and filling to make 4 large pancakes.

Serve immediately while hot: wrap the pancake or a quarter of it in a lettuce leaf (you'll need 8 leaves) along with fresh herbs - mint, cilantro and Thai basil (30 g) - and dip generously into the nước chấm sauce before each bite.