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To make the batter, put the raw rice in a bowl and add water to cover by 1 inch.
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Let soak for 3 to 4 hours.
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Drain the rice and transfer to a blender.
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Add the cooked rice, mung bean, salt, turmeric, coconut milk, and water.
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Blend for about 3 minutes, or until very smooth and lemony yellow.
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Pour the batter through a fine-mesh sieve positioned over a bowl and discard the solids.
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Stir in the scallion and set the batter aside for 1 hour.
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It will thicken to the consistency of heavy cream.
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There should be about 3 cups batter.
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To make the filling, roughly divide the pork, shrimp, mushrooms, and onion into 8 portions.
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(Dividing the ingredients now will ensure less frantic frying and avoid overstuffing.)
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Put these ingredients along with the mung bean, bean sprouts, batter, and oil next to the stove.
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For each crepe, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
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Add a portion each of the pork, shrimp, mushrooms, and onion and saute, breaking up the meat, for about 45 seconds, or until seared and aromatic.
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Visualize a line down the middle of the skillet and roughly arrange the ingredients on either side of the line.
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Anything in the middle would make it hard to fold the crepe neatly later.
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Because the rice will have settled at the bottom of the bowl, give the batter a good stir with a ladle.
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Pour 1/3 cup of the batter into the skillet and swirl the skillet to cover the bottom; a bit going up the side forms a lovely lacy edge.
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The batter should dramatically sizzle (making that xeo noise!)
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and bubble.
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When it settles down, sprinkle on 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mung bean, and then pile 1/2 cup of the bean sprouts on one side.
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Lower the heat to medium, cover, and cook until the bean sprouts have wilted slightly, about 3 minutes.
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Remove the lid and drizzle in 1 teaspoon of the oil around the rim of the pan.
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Lower the heat slightly and continue to cook, uncovered, for 3 to 4 minutes to crisp the crepe.
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The edge will have pulled away from the skillet and turned golden brown.
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At this point, use a spatula to check underneath for a crispy bottom.
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From the center to the edge, the crepe should go from being soft to crispy.
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Lower the heat if you need to cook it longer.
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When you are satisfied, use a spatula to fold the half without the bean sprouts over the other half.
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Use the spatula to transfer the crepe to a serving dish, or simply slide it out of the pan onto the dish.
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Increase the heat to medium-high and repeat with the remaining batter and filling ingredients to make 8 crepes in all.
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Use any left over batter to make a poor mans crepe without filling.
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When you are comfortable with the technique, you can try frying the crepes in 2 skillets at the same time.
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These crepes taste best straight from the skillet, so have diners at the ready.
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Serve the crepes with the vegetable garnish plate and dipping sauce.
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Pass around 1 or 2 pairs of kitchen scissors for diners to cut their crepes into manageably sized pieces.
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To eat, tear a piece of lettuce roughly the size of your palm, place a piece of the crepe on it, add cucumber slices and a few herb leaves, shape into a bundle, and dunk into the dipping sauce.
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To prepare a shortcut rice flour batter, in a bowl, stir together 2 cups rice flour, 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric.
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Make a well in the center, pour in 1/3 cup coconut milk and 2 cups water, and whisk to create a silky batter.
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Add 1 scallion (white and green parts), thinly sliced, and set aside for 1 hour.
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Cook this batter in the same way.
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For these crepes and the ones on page 277, buy a pork shoulder steak, debone it, and slice the meat.
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You do not need to invest in a whole roast.
