Vietnamese Bánh Mì Sandwich – My recipe for a classic Vietnamese Bánh Mì sandwich is based on the most popular variant of this snack, Bánh mì xá xíu, (BBQ or smoked pork) and uses some extra fusion ingredients, namely Korean Kimchi in place of the usual Do Chua pickled carrots and daikon radishes.

with

Kimchi or Do Chua

I love a good sandwich, the invention that is largely attributed to the Earl of Sandwich is as brilliant as sliced bread in my humble opinion, although I rarely buy sliced bread it has to be said! And, as regular Lavender and Lovage readers will know, I regularly post sandwich recipes here as part of an ongoing series called Great Sandwiches of the World. I’m a big fan of all things between crusty slices of bread, as well as hot sandwiches such as burgers and hot dogs etc etc. But today, we are travelling East for my latest Gorgeous Global Sarnie, to Vietnam to be precise, although there is a fair bit of France in today’s recipe for Vietnamese Bánh Mì Sandwich, which I will explain in a bit.

A Vietnamese Bánh Mì Sandwich is a thing of simple beauty, an Asian Sub or Hoagie if you wish, a long sandwich filled with tasty local ingredients. It’s a fast food fusion feast and a real street food snack that can be seen all over Vietnam, as the Glamorous Glutton discovered when she visited Vietnam recently! The sandwich is made with a baguette and is filled with mayonnaise, pickles, vegetables, barbecued meats, pate (sometimes) and aromatic herbs, making it very East meets West; the influence of Vietnam’s French Colonial past is an essential part of the sandwich, with the baguette, mayonnaise and pate making a Gallic appearance. The word Bánh Mì means any type of food including bread and wheat, so it literally means “wheat bread”.

There are many kinds of  Bánh Mì sandwiches, which include my recipe today for Bánh mì xá xíu, (BBQ or smoked pork); other varieties of this Asian sarnie comprise:

Bánh mì bì (shredded pork sandwich) – shredded pork or pork skin, doused with fish sauce
Bánh mì chà bông (pork floss sandwich)
Bánh mì xíu mại (minced pork meatball sandwich) – smashed pork meatballs
Bánh mì cá mòi (sardine sandwich)
Bánh mì pa-tê (pâté sandwich)
Bánh mì chả lụa or bánh mì giò lụa (pork sausage sandwich)
Bánh mì gà nướng (grilled chicken sandwich)

To conclude the potted history surrounding this sandwich, the word Bánh Mì is also thought to refer to the Vietnamese Baguette, which is lighter and airier than its French cousin, and can be made with rice flour. Bánh Mì are very popular in Vietnam for breakfast, (as well as being sold on the street) where the baguettes are simply stuffed with meat and pickles may be served on the side. My recipe today takes a few liberties, as I’d just made a batch of Kimchi, and so the pickled veggies I added were in fact some home-made Kimchi, which is Korean in origin. (However, on doing some research, I discovered that Vietnam also has a version of Kimchi too, KIM CHI VIỆT NAM)

I will be sharing my recipe for Kimchi next week, so keep an eye open for this fabulous sweet, salty and sour pickled vegetable recipe. Included in today’s recipe for my Vietnamese Bánh Mì Sandwich is a method for the pickled veggies that are usually used in a Bánh Mì, called Do Chua, they are a quick pickle that’s made with carrots and daikon radishes. I hope you will enjoy my version of this classic Vietnamese sarnie, and please DO let me know if you make it, or if you have a version that you make yourself. Karen 

Vietnamese Bánh Mì

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Serves	1
Prep time	10 minutes
Allergy	Wheat
Meal type	Bread, Lunch, Snack
Misc	Pre-preparable, Serve Cold
Occasion	Barbecue, Casual Party
Region	Vietnamese
By author	Karen Burns-Booth

My recipe for a classic Vietnamese Bánh Mì sandwich is based on the most popular variant of this snack, Bánh mì xá xíu, (BBQ or smoked pork) and uses some extra fusion ingredients, namely Korean Kimchi in place of the usual Do Chua pickled carrots and daikon radishes. If you want to use the more traditional Do Chua, I have also added the recipe for these pickles. Bánh mì chay, the vegetarian version is made with tofu or seitan, and is usually found at Buddhist temples during special religious events, but uncommon on the streets.

Ingredients

• 1 small baguette or half a large baguette (about 6)
• mayonnaise
• Maggi seasoning
• cucumber (sliced thinly)
• pickled Jalapenos (drained and sliced)
• 2 to 3 slices of smoked pork loin (or sliced Char Sui pork)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons Kimchi (or more traditionally Do Chua pickled carrots and Daikon radishes)
• fresh coriander (cilantro)

Note

My recipe for a classic Vietnamese Bánh Mì sandwich is based on the most popular variant of this snack, Bánh mì xá xíu, (BBQ or smoked pork) and uses some extra fusion ingredients, namely Korean Kimchi in place of the usual Do Chua pickled carrots and daikon radishes. If you want to use the more traditional Do Chua, I have also added the recipe for these pickles. Bánh mì chay, the vegetarian version is made with tofu or seitan, and is usually found at Buddhist temples during special religious events, but uncommon on the streets.

Directions

Step 1	Cut the baguette in half through the middle, keeping the bread halves attached.
Step 2	Spread the mayonnaise on the bottom half and the Maggi seasoning on the top half.
Step 3	Start layering the sandwich with the sliced cucumber on the bottom, then the jalapeno peppers, the sliced pork, the Kimchi or Do Chua (pickled carrots and daikon) finishing with the fresh coriander leaves. Serve wrapped in brown paper tied with string with extra Kimchi or Do Chua on the side, as well as some Sriracha or Kecap Manis, a sweet, syrupy type of soy sauce, originating from Indonesia.
Step 4	Options: Some recipes add pork pate to the sandwich, just spread it on the top or bottom half of the baguette. Cold sliced chicken or turkey can be used in place of the pork.
Step 5	Quick pickled Do Chua: 225g julienne carrots 225g julienne daikon radishes 300mls water with 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon salt dissolved in it 150mls rice wine vinegar Place the carrot and daikon radishes in a large 1.5 litre kilner jar. Pour over the sugar/salt water and the rice wine vinegar and seal the jar. Leave the jar in the fridge or a cool place for 2 to 3 days before using. The pickles will last for up to 3 weeks this way.
Step 6	Vegetarian option: Bánh mì chay (vegetarian sandwich) – made with tofu or seitan; in Vietnam, usually made at Buddhist temples during special religious events, but uncommon on the streets

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