How to Make Bánh Khọt: A Step-by-Step Vietnamese Recipe

Bánh khọt is one of Vietnam's most satisfying street foods to recreate at home: small, round rice flour cakes with crispy golden edges, a tender centre, and a savoury shrimp topping. The recipe can look intimidating at first glance, with its special pan and multiple components, but it breaks down into five simple stages. Follow each stage in order, and a restaurant-quality plate of bánh khọt is ready to be enjoyed at home!

What Is Bánh Khọt?

Bánh khọt is a Vietnamese savoury cake made from a rice flour batter, poured into a special dimpled pan and topped with shrimp. Each cake is small and round, with a signature texture: crisp, golden edges surrounding a soft, custardy centre. The dish originates in southern Vietnam, particularly the coastal city of Vũng Tàu, where it remains a popular street food to this day. 

For a deeper look at its history, ingredients, and regional variations, see our guide: What Is Bánh Khọt? A Guide to Vietnam's Crispy Mini Pancakes

Bánh Khọt Ingredients & Recipe

Bánh khọt comes together from four simple ingredient groups. This ingredient list follows a full, traditional bánh khọt recipe using both rice flour and a touch of cooked rice for texture. Quantities below are enough for a serving for 2-3 people, roughly 18-20 mini cakes.

Detail	Info
Difficulty	Medium
Prep time	30 minutes
Cook time	30 minutes
Rest time	15 minutes
Total time	1 hour 15 minutes

For the batter

• Rice flour - 250 g

• Crispy frying flour (bột chiên giòn) - 50 g

• Tapioca starch - 15 g

• Turmeric powder - 10 g

• Cooked rice - 70 g

• Coconut milk - 200 ml

• Coconut water - 200 ml

• 1 chicken egg

• Cooking oil

• Salt, sugar - to taste

For the topping

• Shrimp - 300 g

• Shallots - 6 bulbs

• Scallions (spring onion) - 10 g

For the dipping sauce

• Fish sauce - 3 tbsp

• Water - 3 tbsp

• Lime juice - 1 tbsp

• Sugar - 2 tbsp

• Garlic - 1 clove, minced

• Chili - 1 small, finely chopped

For serving:

• Lettuce - 1 small head (about 8–10 leaves)

• Vietnamese herbs (mint, perilla, or Thai basil) - 1 small handful

• Pickled carrots and daikon - about 100 g

Each of these ingredients is widely available at Vietnamese or Asian grocery stores. Quantities can be adjusted to taste and to the desired level of crispiness, so it is worth experimenting with slightly thicker or thinner batter until the result matches personal preference.

How to make bánh khọt?

Step 1 - Make the Bánh Khọt Batter

Start by blending the cooked rice with about 50 ml of water until completely smooth; this small addition of rice gives the batter extra body and helps the finished cakes hold their shape. In a large bowl, combine the rice flour, blended rice, crispy frying flour, and turmeric powder. Add 100 ml of the coconut milk along with 450 ml of water, whisking until the mixture is completely smooth.

Let the batter rest for about one hour, then strain the batter through a fine sieve to remove any small lumps. Finally, whisk in the egg, along with sugar and salt to taste, until fully combined.

Step 2 - Prepare the Toppings

Peel and mince the shallots. Trim and rinse the scallions, then cut them into short lengths, keeping the white bases separate from the green tops. Choose shrimp that are small to medium in size where possible; if using larger shrimp, cut them in half so they fit neatly on each cake. Peel the shrimp, removing the heads, shells, and the dark vein, then rinse and drain well. Marinate the shrimp with a little salt, some of the minced shallot, and a portion of the scallion whites, mixing to coat evenly.

Heat a pan and fry the remaining minced shallot until fragrant, then add the marinated shrimp and stir-fry until the shrimp firms up and turns pink. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Step 3 - Make the Dipping Sauce

In a small bowl, combine fish sauce, sugar, and water, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves. Add fresh lime juice, followed by minced garlic and finely chopped chili. Taste the sauce and adjust the balance of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy until it feels right, since fish sauce brands and personal preference vary considerably. Prepare the herbs and vegetables for serving alongside the sauce so everything is ready by the time the cakes come off the pan.

Step 4 – Cook the Bánh Khọt

This is the step that determines whether the final result lives up to its name.

1. Heat a bánh khọt pan over medium-high heat until evenly hot, then lower to medium heat and add oil to each mold, brushing a little up the sides so the batter releases cleanly.

2. Pour the batter into each mold, filling it to about one-third full.

3. Sprinkle with the scallion greens, add a touch more batter, then top each cake with a piece of the stir-fried shrimp.

4. Once one side has turned golden, flip each cake and cook the other side until evenly done and crisp throughout.

5. Remove each cake carefully with a spoon or small spatula, working around the crisp edge, and arrange on a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.

6. Repeat with the remaining batter and shrimp, reheating the pan and adding fresh oil between batches.

Pro tip: the key to crispy bánh khọt is a properly heated pan and enough oil pooling around the edges of each mold. Without enough heat or oil, the cakes will steam rather than fry, leaving them soft instead of crisp.

Step 5 - Serve and Enjoy

Bánh khọt is best served immediately, while the edges are still warm and crisp. Arrange the cakes on a platter alongside lettuce leaves and a generous handful of fresh Vietnamese herbs, plus a small bowl of pickled carrots and daikon. To eat, wrap each cake in lettuce and herbs, or simply dip it straight into the sauce. The bright, tangy dipping sauce and fresh herbs are what balance the richness of the fried batter, keeping each bite light rather than heavy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make bánh khọt without a bánh khọt pan? A dedicated bánh khọt pan gives the most authentic result, but a small non-stick pan or a takoyaki-style pan can work as an alternative. The texture may differ slightly, usually with less pronounced crisp edges, but the flavour of the dish remains largely the same.

What can I use instead of shrimp? Mushrooms, tofu, or other proteins can be substituted for shrimp, depending on dietary preference. 

What is the difference between bánh khọt and bánh xèo? Bánh khọt is made in small, individual portions using a dimpled pan, while bánh xèo is a single large crepe cooked in one flat pan.