Insanely Addictive Weeknight Dinner
Don’t be put off by the loosey-goosey nature of this crispy, egg-filled oyster pancake. It’s Viet–inspired street food at its simplest and best. I use my hands to break apart a pancake, dipping it into the sauce.
How to shuck an oyster:
Vietnamese Oyster Pancake with Nuoc Cham
Ingredients
Nuoc Cham
- 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon minced scallion
- 1 tablespoon finely grated carrot
- 1 Thai chile, minced
Pancake
- 3/4 cup rice flour
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 slices of bacon, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced cooked pork (3 ounces)
- 8 freshly shucked oysters
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup mung bean sprouts
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
- Lettuce leaves and mint sprigs, for serving
Instructions
Make the Nuoc Cham
In a small bowl, whisk all of the ingredients until the sugar dissolves.
Make the Pancakes
In a medium bowl, whisk the rice flour with the turmeric and salt. Whisk in the water until smooth, then stir in 1/4 cup of the scallions.
Preheat two well-seasoned 8-inch pans (some prefer no stick for this) over medium heat for a few moments. Add the oil, divided into the two pans, swirl, and add the pork and bacon. Cook, stirring until the bacon begins to turn color and get light golden brown. Add the oysters, sauté for a few minutes. Divide the batter between the two pans, spread into an even layer and cook until browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes.
Using a spatula, flip the pancake, then pour half the beaten egg evenly on top of each pancake. Scatter 1/2 cup of mung bean sprouts and 2 tablespoons each of the cilantro and scallions over each pancake. Fold half the pancake over itself to form a half-moon. Cook over moderately high heat, flipping once, until crisp on the outside and just cooked through, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate.
Serve with lettuce cups, mint leaves and the nuoc cham.
MAKE AHEAD The nuoc cham can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Originally published in Andrew Zimmern’s Kitchen Adventures on foodandwine.com.
Photograph by Madeleine Hill.
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