CHOOSE-YOUR-OWN-ADVENTURE LOADED BANH MI
SERVES 4
“My take on banh mi here encourages you to ‘choose your own adventure’, so to speak. In addition to the filling options below, you can also try lemongrass pork burgers, beef or shredded leftover roast chicken, such as the tom yum chicken recipe on p 104. A good banh mi should be loaded – by which I mean you must be generous with the fillings. Don’t be shy with meat, fish finger or chicken quantities, and stuff the sandwich with vegetables and herbs until it’s bursting at the seams. Finish off the sandwich with as many condiments as you can dream up: extra dollops of sambal or sriracha and more mayonnaise, always more mayonnaise.”
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
100g caster sugar
100ml rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1 × quantity Quick cucumber, garlic
& chilli pickle (p 104, optional)
4 long Vietnamese or ordinary baguettes, halved; or long, crusty bread rolls
4 tbs mayonnaise
4 tbs sriracha, sambal oelek or sambal bajak (from Asian grocers, see note)
Drizzle of Maggi liquid seasoning (optional)
YOUR CHOICE OF HERO FILLING
20 regular or 16 chunky fish fingers, cooked (4-5 per banh mi), or
1 × quantity sesame & soy-lacquered chicken (recipe at right, 100g per banh mi)
YOUR CHOICE OF VEGETABLES & GARNISHES
2 long green shallots, thinly sliced
8 long, thin slices of cucumber
Leaves of little gem, romaine or cos lettuce, torn into large pieces
1 long red chilli, sliced (deseeded if you prefer less heat)
8 coriander stems, stalks and leaves left whole
2 tbs salted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
2 tbs shop-bought crispy fried shallots
Place carrot, sugar, vinegar and a pinch of fine sea salt in a bowl and set aside for at least 15 minutes. Make the Quick cucumber, garlic and chilli pickle (p 104), if using. Prepare your chosen hero filling.
Spread one side of each baguette with 1 tbs mayonnaise. Spread the other side with 1 tbs sriracha or sambal.
Layer each banh mi with the hot filling, top with 4 tbs drained pickled carrot and drained pickled cucumber, if using, then fill with your remaining chosen vegetables and garnishes. Drizzle with Maggi seasoning, if using. Close the banh mi and serve.
NOTE: Sambal bajak is made from capsicum rather than chilli, so is a good choice if you want less heat.