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Banh Mi

Welcome back! 
Today, we have a popular Vietnamese dish: the Banh Mi! This is a really great recipe that hits a lot of the aspects of Vietnamese cuisine, despite being directly influenced by French colonialism with the baguette, of course. This sandwich features a combination of ingredients that works so well together, forming a product that has a variety of flavors, textures, and colors. And most importantly, it's quite healthy too!

Banh Mi

Ingredients:

For the pork:
  • 1 1/2 pound pork butt or shoulder
  • 2 tablespoons shallot, minced
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 4 tablespoons (about 2 stalks) lemongrass, minced
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
You could also use a mortar and pestle for a more intense lemongrass flavor.

For the vegetables:
  • 1-2 carrots
  • About 6-inches of daikon (this can really vary)
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
To assemble:
  • Baguettes
  • Mayo
  • Sriracha (optional)
  • Cilantro
  • Jalapeno, sliced

Directions:

  1. Prepare the pork:
    1. Cut the pork butt/shoulder into strips that are about 1 inch thick.
    2. In a bowl, add the rest of the ingredients under the pork section for the marinade: shallots, garlic, lemongrass, sugar, fish sauce, black pepper, soy sauce, honey, and olive oil. Mix these together.


    3. Marinate the pork in this mixture for at least 4 hours or overnight.
    4. Bake in the oven at 400°F for 30-40 minutes, while turning midway in order to cook all sides evenly. You can also brush some honey on while turning. For best results, you can grill the meat instead.
  1. Prepare the carrots and daikon:
    1. Julienne cut the carrots and daikon.
    2. Take a pinch of salt and rub the vegetables with it. Let this sit for about 20 minutes.
    3. Remove the water that has been extracted due to the salt.
    4. Mix the solution of white vinegar, sugar, and water together until the sugar is fully dissolved.
    5. Place the carrots and daikon into this mixture for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  2. Prepare the cucumber:
    1. Julienne cut the cucumber.
    2. Add a teaspoon of sugar and mix it in, letting it sit for about half an hour.
  3. Assemble:

    1. Take the baguette and slice it lengthwise, though not all the way (like a sub).
    2. Spread some mayo and/or sriracha sauce onto the bread.
    3. Slice the pork into fairly thin slices, and layer into the sandwich.
    4. Put the remaining ingredients in the sandwich.
As a note, many banh mi use a liver pate instead of mayo as a spread, though mayo is more accessible. We even tried peanut butter, which introduced an interesting player to the already vibrant palette of tastes, though it certainly diverged from the original intentions. All the ingredients balance out: there's a little bit of sweetness to counter the savoriness, some crunch of the baguette to match the tender juiciness of the meat, and a touch of heat from the jalapenos to balance the tang of the pickled vegetables. Ultimately, it's a very fulfilling dish to eat because of everything that's packed in it!

-Chefpo
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