At a glance, this recipe may look like the one for Sizzling Crepes (page 274), and in fact these crepes from the central region begot sizzling crepes. But the popularity of the child has eclipsed that of the parent, and nowadays it is hard to get banh khoai unless you make them yourself or go to the source, Hue, where delightful crepes live up to their name. They are crunchy, rich from being cooked in a fair amount of oil, and full of toasty rice flavor. Banh khoai are traditionally fried in special small cast-iron skillets (five to six inches in diameter) with long handles (so you can avoid the splattering hot oil). They are difficult to find, however, so I use an eight-inch cast-iron or heavy nonstick skillet.
To make a shortcut rice flour batter, in a bowl, stir together 2 1/2 cups rice flour, 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric. Make a well in the center, pour in 3 1/4 cups water, and whisk to create a silky batter. Set aside for 1 hour. Cook this batter in the same way.
