Vietnamese Banh Mi

We all dream of seven-course dinners at The Jane, a generous amount of truffle over our risotto or a giant lobster. But sometimes – quite often, actually – you simply crave a really good sandwich. If that’s the case, a banh mi will (almost) never disappoint.

Banh mi is Vietnamese for sandwich, so it can actually contain just about anything. Every street cart sells a different version of this incredible sandwich. For a banh mi as we mostly know it today, only a few basic ingredients are required. It always has a good layer of pâté, followed by at least one type of pork. I ordered my sandwich at Banh Mi Huynh Hoa in Ho Chi Minh City and was pleasantly surprised by no fewer than six types of meat. From grilled pork to a kind of luncheon meat. Oh, and it also has mayonnaise.

To offset all that fat a little, the Vietnamese sandwich is topped with pickled vegetables, coriander and fresh chilies. In my opinion, this transforms the simple meat sandwich into the ultimate sandwich. Often, a little Maggi (yes, the same stuff you drizzle into soup at your grandmother’s house) is sprinkled over it for a touch of umami.

Preparation

To make the pickled vegetables, mix the carrot and daikon thoroughly with the sugar and salt. Knead everything together well. Leave to stand for 10 minutes.

Marinade

Meanwhile, make the marinade for the meat by mixing the soy sauce, fish sauce, ginger, garlic and shallot. Cut the pork into wafer-thin slices. You can place the meat in the freezer for an hour before using it; this will make it slightly firmer and allow you to cut thinner slices. Mix the meat with the marinade and set aside.

Vegetables

After 10 minutes, rinse the carrot and daikon; if all has gone well, moisture will have been drawn from the vegetables. In a bowl, mix the sugar and vinegar until the sugar has completely dissolved. Add the carrot and daikon and leave to stand for an hour.

Heat a frying pan over high heat and add a little sunflower oil. Fry the pork for about 5 minutes, until slightly crispy and sticky.

Meanwhile, cut open your rolls and spread them with some mayonnaise, then spread the pâté on top. Add the pork you have just fried. Top with the pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, jalapeño (decide how spicy you want it) and coriander. Finish with a few drops of Maggi.