Bánh Mì Style

from Sunday Cooking

One bite and I guarantee you will declare bánh mì - the Vietnamese sandwich and street food staple - a triumph of rich, sweet, spicy, tangy, herbaceous deliciousness. And what's not to love? Traditionally made with a light French baguette (a vestige of Vietnam's French-colonial history), pickled carrot and daikon, spicy chili sauce, mayo, cilantro, cucumbers, and a richly flavored proteinous filling, the bánh mì is a category of flavor combinations unto itself. The beauty of the bánh mì (which actually only means "bread" in Vietnamese, although the term has come to be associated with the sandwich) is in its ability to accomodate a range of fillings - from steamed, roasted, or grilled meats to tofu, even eggs. Included below is a recipe for chicken meatballs.

Get creative with it (see bánh mì hot dog above). Make a batch of the pickled carrot and daikon, mix up some of the spicy dressing, grab some fresh vegetables and herbs to top... take your sandwich game to another level.

You can thank me later.

Pickled Carrot and Daikon

• • 2 cups of daikon, coarsely shredded
  • 2 cups of carrot, coarsely shredded
  • 1/4 cup of rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup of sugar
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and let sit at room temperature for at least an hour, tossing occasionally.

Store in an air tight container and refrigerate for up to 4 weeks (any longer and it loses its punch). If it smells a little funky, it hasn't gone bad. It's the daikon. Just air it out for a few minutes before serving.

Spicy Dressing

• • 2/3 cup mayonnaise (I use Veganaise because that's how I get down)
  • 3 tbsp. hot chili sauce (I'm partial to Huy Fong Sriracha)
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Combine the three ingredients in a bowl. Mix and season with a little salt. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

Condiments

(optional, but highly recommended)

• • thinly sliced jalapeños peppers
  • fresh springs of cilantro

Chicken Meatballs

• • 1 lb. ground chicken
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
  • 2 green onions, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp. hot chili sauce
  • 1 tbsp. sugar
  • 2 tsp. corn starch
  • 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Gently mix all of the ingredients minus the sesame oil in a bowl. Lightly wet your hands and roll about 1 tbsp of meat mixture into a 1-inch ball. Arrange on a large plate or baking sheet lined with plastic wrap.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp of the sesame oil and heat until hazy. Add 1 half of the batch of meatballs and brown, turning often. Lower heat if it seems like the meatballs are browning too quickly. When completely browned, remove from heat and place atop another baking sheet, and place in oven. Repeat with the remaining meatballs.

Assembly

• • 4 x 10-inch sections of baguette (ciabatta is also delicious, but any light, delicious bread will do)

Cut each section in half horizontally. Hollow out some of the baguette filling and spread the spicy dressing over every half. Add jalapeños to the bottom halves and place meatballs (or other filling) on top.

Drain some of the pickled carrot and daikon and place atop the filling. Finish with some sprigs of cilantro and top with the other half of the baguette.

Enjoy!