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Bánh mì Vietnamese-Style Sandwich

Pronounced: bon me

This is a very healthy sandwich and easy to make. It is also great for those times when you don’t have a lot of time to cook. I am a fan of New Orleans poor-boys and French Quarter Italian Muffulettas but this New Orleans’ standard ranks with the best of sandwiches. I found this sandwich last year when working in a predominately Vietnamese section of South Mississippi. After the war many Vietnamese migrated to the Gulf Coast – a home very similar in many ways to the one they left. In the 19th century they were under French Colonial rule and adopted many French cooking methods. The marriage of Asian, French and New Orleans cooking is a perfect match.

The main points about this sandwich are you can use any type of meat. Traditionally it is made with seasoned pork, pork pate or chicken but you can use any cold cut. My sandwich includes a thinly sliced olive loaf and sliced turkey. True to the main features of the sandwich it is garnished with sliced cucumber, fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeño and an easy to make pickled daikon radish and carrot mix called Do Chua. It is served on French bread or some sort of baguette. Banh Mi translated means “all kinds of bread”. The Vietnamese bake their own version of a single-serving French baguette specifically for Banh Mi.

First make the Do Chau. I will offer this website for you to see how to make it. http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2009/05/daikon-and-carrot-pickle-recipe-do-chua.html 

1 carrot cut is small matchsticks.
1 3-inch piece of daikon radish cut into small matchsticks
4 TBSP of sugar
½ cup white vinegar
½ cup warm water
Sea salt

Cut the carrot and radish into match sticks. In a bowl mix the veggies with 2 tsps of sugar and sprinkle with salt. Mix with your hand and let sit for about 20 minutes. This will wilt the veggies and remove some water. When the daikon and carrot can be bent without snapping, rinse it in water and drain.

In a large bowl add the remaining sugar, the water and stir, then the vinegar and stir. Mix all in a container or a jar, cover and leave in the refrigerator at least an hour before serving. The pickled mixture can last three to four weeks in your frig.

Build the Banh Mi:

Bread sliced in half
Mayonnaise
Several slices of sliced olive loaf
Several slices of sliced turkey
Sliced cucumber
Sliced jalapeño
Cilantro
Do Chau
Soy Sauce

Spread the mayonnaise on the bottom slice of bread. Add all the meat.

Ready to eat. This sandwich is incredible.