I started researching Bánh Tôm one day after my husband said it was one of his favorite things he’d ever eaten. I was expecting this Vietnamese dish to be good, (I mean, fried potatoes- how can you go wrong?), but was pleasantly surprised to taste one of the BEST things I’ve ever cooked! Truly!! These shrimp and sweet potato fritters with super fresh accoutrements and tangy sweet dipping sauce will not let you down! Enjoy 
Close up fritter action!
Vietnamese Shrimp and Sweet Potato Lettuce Wraps (Bánh Tôm and Nuoc Cham) Recipe
Vietnamese Shrimp and Sweet Potato Fritters (Bánh Tôm and Nuoc Cham!)
As with all frying, be sure to use a thermometer to keep an eye on the oil temperature. The temperature will drop when the fritters are added, so be sure not to add too many fritters at a time, and allow the oil’s temperature to rise back up between batches! Similar to tempura, the fritter batter cooks best when cold, so if you’re working in a hot kitchen I recommend keeping the mixture in the refrigerator while you fry.
Servings: 4 Servings
Ingredients
For the Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham):
- 1/2 cup hot water (hot water will dissolve and absorb the sugar best)
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3.5 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 thinly sliced birds eye chile or 1/4 tsp red pepper flake
For the Fritters (Bánh Tôm):
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/8 tsp cayenne
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 cup cold sparkling water (the fritter batter fries best when its cold!)
- 2 medium carrots, julienned
- 2 large sweet potatoes, julienned
- 1/4 cup chopped shallots
- 20 medium-large shrimp, roughly chopped
- Neutral high smoke point oil for frying (such as canola)
- About 16 large bibb lettuce leaves for serving
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves and stems for serving
- 1 english cucumber, seeded and sliced for serving
- 1-2 thinly serrano peppers for serving
Instructions
- Make the nuoc cham: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until all of the sugar is dissolved. Taste and add more lime juice if desired! Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving.
- Make the fritter batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the turmeric, cayenne, flour, and salt until well incorporated. Stir in the egg, fish sauce, and the cold sparkling water. The batter should be about the consistency of cold whipping cream. Add the carrots, potatoes, shallots, and shrimp and toss to coat.
- Heat the oven to 300F and place a rimmed baking sheet with a wire cooling rack inside. The oven will keep your fritters warm and crisp after they've fried. On the stovetop, heat 1 inch of the oil in a large cast iron pan and heat to 385F over high heat. When the oil is hot, drop 2 or 3 small piles of the sweet potato and shrimp mixture into the pan, being careful of your fingers and of splashing (you can use tongs or a spoon if you like!) Fry the fritters 2-3 mins per side, using a heat proof slotted spoon or spider for scooping and flipping. As the fritters cook, transfer to the oven on the wire rack to keep warm and crispy while you work.
- Serve the warm fritters with the dipping sauce, lettuce leaves, cilantro, cucumber, and peppers.
Tell me what you think in the comments below!
