Inspiration from a Crusty Lip...Ah...waking at 10AM for a change felt wonderful as opposed to my 4-something-AM stumble to get dressed weekdays. Dane was still working on his animation, pressing himself to meet a noon deadline...I scratched at the itchy dry skin on my upper lip: all I could think of was how much I missed my mum. So, raiding my freezer and pantry, I came up with all the ingredients for one of my mum's best dishes: Vietnamese Crepes (Banh Cuon). Of course, turning this dish vegan was a bit of a challenge the first time I attempted to make it, but in the end, it turned out almost as tasty as the original. I like my crepes a bit thicker than my mum likes hers, but we would both agree that the fried red onion topping is a must! You can find the flour mix at your local asian supermarket. It will say on the package one of the following: bot banh cuon, steamed rice roll flour, or vietnamese crepe flour. My vegan take on the filling (no set measurements):
Vegan Vietnamese Crepe Filling:
Morningstar Veggie Crumbles
Dried Wood Ear Mushrooms (may be labeled as "Black Fungus" on the package), soaked and chopped fine
red onion, chopped (I usually prefer sweet onions, but mum likes plain old yellow onions)
a dash of salt and a nice big dash of pepper
Prepare the flour mix as directed on the package in a bowl. Sautee the above filling ingredients together until just heated through (veggie crumbles are thawed). Using a lightly coated non-stick skillet, on medium to medium high heat, us a ladle-worth's amount of crepe batter for each crepe. Swish the liquid around in the skillet until it becomes a nice even crepe, cover with a lid for about a minute. Remove the lid and plop onto a oil-sprayed plate. Add about a tablespoon of the filling and roll the crepe up first like an envelope, then roll shut. When all crepes are completed, sprinkle with fried red onions and dapple with soy sauce.
