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Bánh Xèo (Sizzling Crepe)

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Its name literally means "sizzling cake" — a direct transcription of the hiss the rice batter makes hitting a scorching-hot pan.

Turmeric-tinted rice-flour batter is poured into a hot pan with pork, shrimp, bean sprouts and mung beans, cooked until the edges turn crackling-crisp, then folded in half. Torn apart, wrapped in lettuce and herbs, and dipped in nuoc cham at street carts.

Why it's made this way: Bánh xèo is eaten across Vietnam, with smaller crepes in the centre and large, thin ones in the south, and cheap ingredients and quick cooking made it a natural fit for street carts.