Bánh Tôm (Vietnamese Shrimp and Sweet Potato Fritters)

If you haven’t had bánh tôm or Vietnamese shrimp potato fritters in your life, now is the time to make them. This incredibly delicious Vietnamese appetizer is the perfect blend of sweet, savory, fresh, and tangy all in one bite!

Bánh tôm or Vietnamese shrimp and sweet potato fritters are made with garlicky seasoned shrimp, and sweet potato sticks and then fried in a turmeric batter until golden perfection. Serve these banh tom chien with fresh lettuce, herbs, and Vietnamese dipping sauce (nuoc cham) and you’ll get the most addicting and delicious appetizer.

Banh tom was a regular dish that my mom would whip up for one of the many family parties that she hosted. I would help my mom chop up the sweet potato matchsticks and watch in awe as she double-fried these sweet potato fritters until they have that beautiful crunch that we all know and love.

This banh tom chien is definitely a labor of love, but the crispy, savory, and delicious pay off is well worth the trouble. If you loved this banh tom recipe, be sure to check out my Vietnamese egg rolls (cha gio), shrimp toast, and pate chaud!

Table of Contents

• ❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• 🍽 Kitchen Equipment
• 🛒 Ingredients
• ✨ Substitutions and Additions
• 📝 How to Make Bánh Tôm
• ⭐️ Tips for the Best Bánh Tôm
• 🥡 Storage Instructions
• 💬 Frequently Asked Q’s & A’s
• 👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Bánh tôm is the ultimate crowd-pleasing Vietnamese appetizer that is crispy, sweet, and savory all in one bite.
• This incredibly tasty Vietnamese dish is perfect for any meal, event, or picnic that will keep you coming back for more.
• This banh tom recipe will show you all the steps with photos and tips and tricks on how to create the most delicious Vietnamese shrimp and sweet potato fritters.

🍽 Kitchen Equipment

• Kitchen Scale: I always recommend using a kitchen scale for the most accurate measurements for each ingredient.
• Mixing Bowls you will need a few large mixing bowls to mix together the batter, marinate the shrimp and soak the sweet potato sticks.
• Whisk: you will use a whisk to whip up your eggs and combine the batter together.
• Fine mesh sieve: a fine mesh sieve will assist you in creating a silky smooth batter without any lumps and prevent you from overmixing the batter and creating too much gluten which would result in a chewy batter.
• Slotted spoon or spider strainer: using a spider strainer or large slotted spoon will be the easiest way to shape the sweet potato fritters and remove them from the oil.
• Candy Thermometer: this will guide you on how hot the oil temperature is so that you can adjust your stove accordingly. I recommend using a candy thermometer if you are new to frying food.
• Medium or Large Skillet: you will use a medium or large skillet for your first fry and that will hold the sweet potato fritter together.
• Heavy Bottom Pot: I recommend using a heavy bottomed pot to fry your Vietnamese shrimp and sweet potato fritters safely.
• Wire rack: you will need a wire rack to cool the banh tom chien on so they remain crunchy and not get soggy.

🛒 Ingredients

The ingredients for this banh tom recipe can all be found at your local Asian grocery store or online.

Batter

• Large Eggs: the eggs bind the batter together and add richness to the batter. Make sure to whisk the eggs until they are pale and frothy to lighten the batter.
• All Purpose Flour: all-purpose flour holds the shape, flavor, and spices of the batter.
• Rice Flour: adding rice flour creates a weightless, crispy, and tender batter. Do not mistake this for glutinous rice flour which is NOT the same.
• Salt: brings out the turmeric flavor and seasons the batter.
• Turmeric Powder: adds a beautiful color and slight turmeric flavor to the batter.
• Club Soda: is the rising agent in this banh tom recipe that also thins out the batter. It aerates the batter without any chemical leaveners.
• Cornstarch: the addition of corn starch will aid in the crispiness, and a golden brown exterior.

Fritter

• Sweet Potatoes: make sure to soak the sweet potato matchsticks in salt water and pat them completely dry before adding the batter!
• Shrimp: you can use any size of shrimp you prefer. I chose to go with jumbo shrimp for more flavor and surface area. You can leave the shrimp heads and legs and fry them whole if you’d like a more traditional banh tom chien.
• Shallot: adds a rich aromatic flavor to the shrimp.
• Garlic: adds a garlic flavor and seasoning to the shrimp.
• Chicken Bouillon Powder: chicken bouillon powder is a prevalent ingredient used in Asian cooking for added umami flavor. This is used to add extra seasoning to the shrimp.
• Pepper: to season the shrimp

✨ Substitutions and Additions

You can customize this banh tom recipe with the following substitutions and additions.

• Taro: for a sweeter addition, you can add taro match sticks into the batter and fry them with the sweet potato
• Potato: you can also add or sub in thin potato match sticks into the fritter
• Herbs: to serve, you can choose from a variety of herbs such as mint, Vietnamese coriander (rau ram), perilla (Tia To) or Thai basil.

📝 How to Make Bánh Tôm

This banh tom recipe yields the crispiest, sweet, and savory Vietnamese shrimp and sweet potato fritters. I recommend reading through the steps and tips below before you begin.

Batter

1. Whisk the eggs. In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs and whisk for 2-3 minutes until pale yellow and frothy.
2. Sift in flour. Using a fine mesh sieve, sift the all-purpose flour, rice flour, salt, and turmeric over the whisked eggs. Whisked until combined.

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3. Add club soda and cornstarch. Next, add the club soda and whisk until combined. Then, add the corn starch and whisk until combined.

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4. Sift the batter. Sift the batter through a fine mesh sieve over a large mixing bowl to remove any remaining clumps. The batter will be thin. Cover and set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes.

Prep the Sweet Potato and Shrimp

1. Prep the sweet potato. In a large mixing bowl, mix together water and salt. Peel and chop the sweet potato into thin matchsticks, about 3-4 inches long and ¼ inch thick (similar to thin French fries), and then add the matchsticks to the salt water to prevent from browning. Soak the sweet potato for at least 15 minutes before rinsing and pat dry.

2. Mix in the batter. After the batter has rested, add the batter to the sweet potatoes and mix to coat.

3. Prep the shrimp. Remove the shrimp legs and rinse with water. Pat dry to remove any excess water. In a medium mixing bowl mix the shrimp with the minced shallot, garlic, chicken powder, and pepper to marinate the shrimp.

Double Fry the Bánh Tôm

1. Heat a medium skillet and a medium pot of oil. Add ¼ inch of oil to a medium skillet and about 2 inches of oil to the medium pot. Heat each of them to around 300 F.
2. Prepare the fritter. Stir the mixture to re-coat the batter. Take a large slotted spoon or spider strainer and scoop out a handful of sweet potatoes. Shape it into a fritter shape. Dip the shrimp in the batter and place it on top of the sweet potatoes.

3. First Fry. Once the oil is at 300 F, gently slide the fritter into the medium skillet and fry until the fritter takes shape about 3 minutes.

4. Double fry. After the fritter has taken shape, transfer the fritter to the deeper pot of oil and continue frying for an additional 4 minutes, flipping halfway to cook the shrimp. It is done when the shrimp is pink and the sweet potatoes are golden brown.

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5. Cool. Place them on a paper towel-lined wire rack to cool. Repeat until all the shrimp are cooked.
6. Serve. Serve with lettuce, herbs, and Vietnamese dipping sauce (nuoc cham).

⭐️ Tips for the Best Bánh Tôm

• Rest the batter for at least 30 minutes. This is a must! Allowing the batter to rest for at least 30 minutes gives the flours time to thoroughly absorb the liquids and which helps create the ultimate crispy crunch when you fry the banh tom chien.
• Cut the sweet potatoes into thin matchsticks. I like to aim for about ¼ inch thickness and 3-4 inches in length, or around the size of a McDonald’s french fry. Make sure to cut the sweet potatoes thin enough to hold their flavor and not too thick so they won’t be crispy when fried.
• Soak the sweet potato in salt water for at least 15 minutes. Soaking the sweet potatoes in salt water will prevent them from browning and draws out the moisture making them crispier when you fry them. Make sure to pat them dry before coating them in the batter.
• Use a candy thermometer and fry at 350 F. Oil temperature varies a lot when you fry the banh tom chien. Make sure to use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature of the oil so that it does not get too hot and it will burn or too cold and it will get too greasy.
• Do not overcrowd the pans. If you overcrowd the pot when you cook the Vietnamese sweet potato fritters, they may be a little soggy. I usually only cook about 2-3 sweet potato fritters at a time.
• Cool the fritters on a wire rack. Make sure to not crowd the sweet potato fritters on the wire rack.

🥡 Storage Instructions

This bánh tôm is best served immediately. Alternatively, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They will get soggy over time.

The best way to reheat banh tom chien is to place them in the oven or air fryer at 350 F until they are warm and crispy.

💬 Frequently Asked Q’s & A’s

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