This Vietnamese favorite is a great alternative to a traditional bread roll. This riot of flavor can be made at home with a mixture of roast pork and fresh herbs in soft white buns.
What is banh mi?
This Vietnamese roast pork roll is packed with the most famous banh mi ingredients, including mint, coriander and pickled vegetables. This is fusion food at its best. The soft French baguettes used by colonizers to hold the Vietnamese ingredients are still in use today. A good banh mi sauce recipe uses mayonnaise to cool the heat of the chilies. The whole thing is then finished with a light soy glaze. You will end up with a Vietnamese banh mi perfectly balanced and full of freshness and flavor.
Banh mi recipe
Makes 2
- 2 crusty white rolls
- 1 Lebanese cucumber, cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp whole egg mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup coriander sprigs
- 1/4 cup mint sprigs
- 1 small red chili, finely sliced
Marinated pork
- 1 stalk of lemongrass, chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 pork steaks
Pickled carrot
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup caster sugar
- 1 carrot
Step 1
Marinate the pork. Use a mortar and pestle to pound the garlic and lemongrass together. To make a marinade, combine brown sugar, soy sauce, and vegetable oil. Put the marinade and pork in a ziplock bag. Place the marinade in a bag and massage the meat.
Step 2
Make pickled carrots by heating the sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan on medium heat. Let the sugar dissolve in the saucepan. Allow cooling. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the carrots into fine ribbons. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and carrots. Mix in 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Let the mixture stand for at least 2 hours or overnight. Drain and discard the liquid.
Step 3
Place the pork on a grill or barbecue and heat to medium heat. Cook the pork for about 5-7 minutes on each side until it is cooked. Allow cooling.
Step 4
Spread the mayonnaise on the baguettes. Each pork steak should be cut into small pieces and divided among the baguettes. Mix in the carrot, cucumber, coriander and mint. Serve immediately with a drizzle of soy sauce.