Lemongrass Pork Meatball Banh Mi

Originating in the streets of Saigon, this French-vietnamese street-food favourite elevates the humble sandwich to new heights. Hands-on time 30min.

Cooking time about 15min. Serves 2

FOR THE PICKLES

1½tbsp rice wine vinegar 1tsp caster sugar

1 small carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks

5cm daikon or mooli, peeled and cut into matchsticks

FOR THE PORK MEATBALLS

 Small handful coriander, stalks and

leaves separated

 ½ lemongrass stick, finely chopped  1 garlic clove

 ½tbsp fish sauce

 1tsp runny honey

 ½tbsp soy sauce

 150g pork mince (5% fat)

TO SERVE

½tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium baguette 2tbsp Brussels pâté, optional 1tbsp mayonnaise Sriracha hot sauce, optional

1 Start by making the lightly pickled vegetables. Mix the vinegar, sugar

and a large pinch of salt in a medium bowl to dissolve the sugar. Add the carrot and daikon, stir to coat and set aside.

2 For the pork meatballs, finely chop the coriander stalks and bash with the lemongrass and garlic to a paste using a pestle and mortar. Scrape into a bowl and mix in the remaining meatball ingredients until well combined. Shape into 8 meatballs.

3 Heat the oil in a medium non-stick frying pan over low-medium heat. Add meatballs and fry, turning frequently, until deeply golden and cooked through, about 12-15min.

4 To serve, cut the baguette in half lengthways and spread over the pâté, if using, followed by the mayonnaise. Drain the vegetables then load into the bread and top with the meatballs. Scatter over coriander and drizzle with sriracha, if you like. Halve and serve. PER SERVING 426cals, 25g protein, 18g fat (3g saturates), 40g carbs (8g total sugars), 3g fibre