Banh Khot: Ingredients, Recipe, How to Eat & Calories

Bánh khọt is one of southern Vietnam's most beloved street foods. These small savory pancakes are known for their crispy golden shells, soft centers, and fragrant toppings of shrimp, scallions, and coconut cream. Although they look simple, a well-made bánh khọt requires the right batter, proper heat control, and fresh ingredients to achieve the perfect balance of crispness and richness.

Whether you have enjoyed them on the streets of Vũng Tàu or are discovering them for the first time, this guide explains everything you need to know about banh khot, including its ingredients, recipe, serving style, calories, and where to enjoy authentic Vietnamese cuisine in Paris.

What Is Banh Khot?

Bánh khọt are small round savory rice flour pancakes cooked in individual molds until the outside becomes lightly crispy while the inside remains soft and airy. They are traditionally topped with shrimp, although squid, minced pork, steamed mung beans, and other ingredients are also common variations.

Unlike larger Vietnamese pancakes such as bánh xèo, banh khot are bite-sized and usually served as several pieces on one plate alongside a generous basket of fresh herbs and a sweet-and-sour fish sauce.

The batter is made primarily from rice flour, coconut milk, turmeric, and water. Many traditional recipes also add cooked rice to create a softer interior while maintaining a crisp exterior.

Ingredients for Traditional Banh Khot

The classic Vietnamese recipe typically includes:

• 300g fresh shrimp

• 100g minced pork

• 200g squid

• 250g rice flour

• 70g cooked rice

• 200ml coconut milk

• 50g crispy frying flour

• Wood ear mushrooms

• Shallots

• Garlic

• Spring onions

• Turmeric powder

• Coconut water

• Tapioca starch

• Egg

• Fresh chili

• Mixed herbs including mustard greens, lettuce, fish mint, Vietnamese basil, and other aromatic herbs

Each ingredient contributes to the final texture and flavor, producing pancakes that are crisp outside, soft inside, and rich without feeling heavy.

How to Make Banh Khot

Prepare the ingredients

Begin by finely chopping the shallots, garlic, and spring onions, keeping the white parts and green tops separate. Wash all the herbs thoroughly and allow them to drain.

Peel the shrimp, remove the heads and veins, then season them with salt, seasoning powder, scallion oil, and minced shallots.

Soak the wood ear mushrooms until soft, rinse them well, then finely chop them. Clean the squid by removing the ink sac and backbone before slicing it into rings.

Season the minced pork with salt, seasoning powder, chopped shallots, mushrooms, and black pepper.

Blend the cooked rice with a little water until smooth, then strain the mixture and keep only the fine rice puree for the batter.

Mix the batter

To prepare the batter, combine the rice flour, blended rice, crispy frying flour, water, turmeric powder, and coconut milk until smooth. Let the batter rest for about one hour.

Before cooking, stir in sugar, seasoning powder, and one egg. This makes the pancakes richer while helping them become crispier during cooking.

Cook the toppings

Heat a little cooking oil in a pan and sauté the garlic until fragrant before cooking the shrimp.

Cook the minced pork and squid separately using the same method until fully cooked.

Prepare the coconut cream

Combine coconut milk with tapioca starch and heat gently over low heat until slightly thickened. Season lightly with salt before removing from the heat.

The coconut cream is drizzled over the pancakes during cooking to add extra richness.

Make the dipping sauce

Finely chop garlic and fresh chili.

Combine fish sauce, sugar, and coconut water, then gently heat the mixture until the sugar dissolves completely. Once cooled, add vinegar along with the chopped garlic and chili.

The result is a balanced dipping sauce with sweet, sour, salty, and mildly spicy flavors.

Cook the pancakes

Heat a traditional bánh khọt mold over high heat before reducing to medium-low.

Brush each cavity generously with oil to prevent sticking.

The batter is poured into the mold in three stages:

• First, fill each mold about one-third full.

• Once partially cooked, add a little more oil around the edges before pouring another layer of batter.

• Finally, add a spoonful of coconut cream, chopped spring onions, garlic, additional batter, and the prepared topping.

Cook over low heat until the bottom turns golden and crispy before carefully removing each pancake.

Serve

Bánh khọt are best enjoyed immediately while still hot.

They are traditionally served with plenty of fresh herbs and sweet-and-sour fish sauce. Many people also wrap each pancake in rice paper together with herbs before dipping it into the sauce.

What Does Banh Khot Taste Like?

Freshly cooked banh khot has a crispy shell with a soft, fluffy interior.

The shrimp provides natural sweetness, while the coconut milk adds richness without overpowering the rice flavor. Fresh herbs introduce brightness and freshness that balance the richness of the batter.

Finally, the sweet-and-sour fish sauce ties everything together, creating the characteristic harmony that defines many Vietnamese dishes.

If You Like Banh Khot, You May Also Like These Dishes at Hanoi 1988

If you enjoy the balance of crispy textures, herbs, and dipping sauces found in banh khot, you'll likely enjoy other Vietnamese specialties served at Hanoi 1988, including:

• Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)

• Bun Cha Hanoi

• Bun Bo Hue

• Nem Ran (Northern Vietnamese Crispy Spring Rolls)

• Goi Cuon (Fresh Spring Rolls)

• Bun Nem

• Pho Ga (Chicken Pho)

These dishes showcase the fresh herbs, balanced seasonings, and careful preparation that define authentic Vietnamese cuisine.

Exploring Northern Vietnamese Cuisine in Paris

While banh khot is traditionally associated with southern Vietnam, it reflects the same Vietnamese philosophy of balancing fresh herbs, carefully prepared ingredients, and complementary dipping sauces.

Northern Vietnamese cuisine more broadly, which is another major regional tradition of Vietnam, is best represented in Paris at Hanoi 1988.

The restaurant specializes in authentic Hanoi recipes prepared with traditional techniques and quality ingredients, offering classics such as pho, bun cha, crispy spring rolls, and many other Vietnamese favorites.

Ready to experience authentic Vietnamese cuisine? Hanoi 1988 welcomes guests across its Paris locations. To reserve a table or explore the full menu, visit viet-eat.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is banh khot made of?

Banh khot is made from rice flour, coconut milk, turmeric, cooked rice, and toppings such as shrimp, squid, pork, or mung beans. It is served with fresh herbs and fish sauce.

Is banh khot the same as banh xeo?

No. Although both are Vietnamese savory pancakes, banh khot is much smaller, thicker, and cooked in individual molds, while bánh xèo is a large folded pancake.

How do you eat banh khot?

The traditional way is to wrap each pancake with lettuce and fresh herbs, then dip it into sweet-and-sour fish sauce before eating.

Is banh khot gluten-free?

Traditional banh khot made only with rice flour is naturally gluten-free. However, some modern recipes use crispy frying flour that may contain wheat, so always check the ingredients.

How many calories are in banh khot?

One piece of banh khot typically contains around 70–100 calories, depending on its size and toppings. A standard serving of 6–8 pieces usually provides approximately 450–700 calories.

Can banh khot be made vegetarian?

Yes. Many vegetarian versions replace shrimp and pork with steamed mung beans, mushrooms, tofu, or mixed vegetables while keeping the same crispy rice batter.

To reserve a table at Hanoi 1988 or explore the full menu, visit viet-eat.com.