andrejthechef
InternationalSandwichLunchDairy-free

Banh Mi

The Vietnamese baguette done properly: lemongrass pork, quick-pickled daikon and carrot, pâté, cucumber, chilli and cilantro in crisp bread.

prep
40 min
cook
15 min
total
55 min
serves
4
level
medium
Banh Mi, a classic from Vietnam.

A banh mi is an argument that a sandwich can be perfectly engineered: hot savory pork, sharp pickles, cool cucumber, fresh herbs and chilli heat, all in a baguette light enough to shatter instead of chew.

The pickles and the bread are the two things people skip, and they are the two things that make it. The pork is almost the easy part.

Banh Mi is one of the world's classic dishes from 67 countries.

method

  1. Make the pickles first: dissolve the sugar and salt in the vinegar with a splash of water, add the daikon and carrot, and leave for at least 30 minutes.

  2. Marinate the pork in the lemongrass, fish sauce, soy, sugar, garlic, shallot and plenty of black pepper for 30 minutes or more.

  3. Grill or pan-sear the pork over high heat in a single layer until charred at the edges, about 2 minutes a side.

  4. Warm the baguettes in a hot oven for 3 to 4 minutes until the crust crisps. Split them without cutting all the way through.

  5. Spread with mayonnaise and pâté, then layer in the hot pork, drained pickles, cucumber, cilantro and chilli.

chef's tips

  • The bread should be light with a thin, crackly crust. A dense artisan baguette makes the wrong sandwich.
  • Drain the pickles well or the bread pays for it.
  • The pickle jar keeps two weeks in the fridge and improves everything else you cook meanwhile.