Grilled rice paper (banh trang nuong)
Banh trang nuong is a street snack tied to the chilly evenings of Da Lat, fondly nicknamed Vietnamese pizza. A thin sheet of rice paper is toasted until crackly with egg, scallion oil, dried shrimp, hot dog and pork floss, then folded in half and eaten hot from your hand, fragrant and crunchy.
- Difficulty
- Very easy
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 16 min
- Total time
- 36 min
- Method
- Pan-cooked or waffle iron
Ingredients
Rice paper and egg
Scallion oil
Toppings
Instructions
Step 1
Soak 20 g dried shrimp in warm water for about ten minutes, then drain and chop them finely, and at the same time cut 45 g hot dogs into very small dice. Soaked dried shrimp release their sweetness and will not be tough after a quick toasting. The toppings are ready when the shrimp feel soft when squeezed and the hot dog pieces are evenly about the size of a pea.
Step 2
Finely chop 30 g scallions and sprinkle with a pinch salt, then heat 20 g vegetable oil over medium heat until very hot, pour it over the scallions and stir well. The hot oil just cooks the scallions, keeping them bright green and releasing their signature aroma. The scallion oil is ready when the scallions are soft and glossy green and the oil sizzles gently as you pour it.
Step 3
Set a nonstick pan over low heat and let it heat dry and evenly for about two minutes before adding the rice paper. A dry pan and low heat let the rice paper crisp gradually from the bottom up without scorching. The pan is ready when you hold your hand above it and clearly feel the heat rising.
Step 4
Lay one sheet from the 40 g rice paper in the pan, crack one of the 200 g eggs into the center, spread the egg over the whole surface with a spoon, then add a spoonful of scallion oil. A thin, even layer of egg cooks at the same time as the rice paper crisps. This step is done when the egg covers the whole sheet and the edges start to curl up slightly.
Step 5
Scatter the dried shrimp and hot dog over the egg while it is still wet, toast for about two more minutes, turning the pan so the sheet heats evenly, then sprinkle some of the 20 g pork floss on top. Adding the toppings before the egg sets makes them stick firmly. It is ready when the egg is cooked and dry on top and the underside of the rice paper is puffed, crisp and speckled golden brown.
Step 6
Use a spatula to fold the rice paper in half, lift it onto a plate or a paper wrapper and eat it right away while hot; repeat with the remaining sheets. Grilled rice paper loses its crunch very quickly as it cools, so enjoy it immediately. It is ready when it cracks softly as you fold it and the outside is dry and crisp.
Equipment
- Nonstick skillet
- Small saucepan
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
- Kitchen scale
Tips
- You can replace the chicken egg with two or three raw quail eggs per sheet; quail eggs give a smoother, richer topping.
- Drizzle chili sauce and mayonnaise over the top before folding for the tangy, spicy, creamy flavor of the real Da Lat version.
- If you have a charcoal grill, set the rice paper on a rack over glowing coals; it will pick up a smoky aroma and puff up more evenly.
Storage
Grilled rice paper should be eaten right after it is made, because it turns soft and chewy as it sits. The prepared toppings can be covered and kept in the fridge for one to two days, and the scallion oil is best used the same day.
Common problems and how to fix them
- The rice paper burns before the egg is cooked.
- The heat is too high. Turn it down to the lowest setting, spread the egg thinner, and you can cover the pan for about thirty seconds so the egg cooks quickly from the top.
- The rice paper is soft and chewy instead of crisp.
- Too much egg or scallion oil soaked the rice paper. Use less scallion oil and keep toasting until the underside puffs up into crisp bubbles.
This recipe is based on the common ratios for this bake and is written entirely in our own words.
