Banh Mi Battle » How to Make Bánh Mì

Making Your Own Bánh Mì

White on Rice Couple — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 19:56:05 +0000

Here are some options:

1. Purchase ingredients & assemble: If Việt grocery stores and bakeries are accessible, you can purchase the baguettes from your favorite bakery, meat fillings from a Viet deli and the rest of the condiments from the Viet grocery. Once collected, assembling the sandwiches to your own liking can be fast & easy.

2. Purchasing some ingredients and making the rest yourself: You can cook & customize your own fillings, then just purchase the baguettes and other condiments to finish .

3. Do it all yourself! For all you ambitious and curious cats: Making everything from scratch will take time, but it’s extremely gratifying and fun for those who dare to go there. Although it’ll probably cost you more to make it then to buy the banh mi straight from the source, the joy of creating everything homemade is priceless. Just shop for your raw ingredients and you can go to town with the recipes we’ve provided.

Bánh Mì Shopping List- The condiments are optional. Add all or as much as you like.

Light, crusty baguette. – Lucky are those who live near a Việt bakery and have access to good baguettes. If your purchase takes you to an outside source and your bread is a little too thick or center dense, you can scoop out some of the center to eliminate some of the bread volume. Some Bánh Mì places scoop out their center too, to create more even balance between the bread & fillings. Put the bread in the oven or toaster for a few minutes to create a crusty exterior.

Fillings - Meat or Veggie, these fillings can range from anything that has been marinated with Vietnamese sauces or flavors.

Fresh Cilantro Sprigs

Pickled Daikon & Carrots – Tangy, sweet and sour add that extra special layer of flavor !

Thin slices of cucumber (seed removed). Japanese , Persian or short, Pickle type cucumbers work best because of minimal seeds. If there are seeds, they are usually very small and tender.

Mayo- or any sandwich bread. Some places use a white spread made of egg yolks and vegetable oil.

Pate

Slices of jalapeno or any chili

Sriracha or garlic chili sauce for extra flavor and heat.

Thin slices of red onion (personal favorite)

Soy Sauce

Have fun making your Bánh Mì !

Party Time! (above, assembling our Smokin’ Awesome Pulled Pork Bánh Mì )

Bánh Mì Meat Recipes

White on Rice Couple — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 21:46:30 +0000

Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwiches have an endless variety of options for fillings. This black pepper pork banh mi recipe is one common type that can be found in many banh mi shops. This filling is often called “grilled pork” banh mi.

Black Pepper Pork Banh Mi Recipe

1 pound of pork chops, shoulder or loin. Sliced thinly

2 cloves crushed garlic

2 table spoons of fish sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

1-2 tablespoons fresh ground black pepper. If you like the spice and flavor, add more!

2 tablespoons of finely chopped shallots or onion

1/4 cup vegetable or grapeseed oil

1 teaspoon of sesame seed oil

1. Mix all marinade ingredients (except for pork) in a plastic bag. Let all ingredients dissolve in oil, then add slices of pork. Allow everything to marinade for at least 1 hour.

2. Heat up frying pan, lay slices of pork, one layer at a time. When one side is cooked, flip to other side to finish cooking.

3. Assemble pork in your sandwich with condiments.

More Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwich Meat Recipes

Charles Phan – Garlic Brine Pork recipe

Food Woolf – Five Spice Chicken Banh Mi with spicy lime mayonnaise recipe

My Food Geek – Pork Shoulder Banh mi recipe

Gourmetish – Shrimp Banh Mi recipe

Anthony Nguyen – Ground Pork Banh Mi recipe

Hoi Anh Style Oven -Crisped Pork Banh Mi

Sunset Magazine – Turkey Style Banh Mi

Dirty Sugar Cookies – Shrimp Banh Mi

Five Spice Pork “Burger” Banh Mi

Guilty Carnivore’s Lemongrass Pork & Kim Chi Banh Mi

Pickled Daikon and Carrots

White on Rice Couple — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 17:41:52 +0000

The pungent aroma of some pickled daikon & carrots can sometimes clear a room faster than a fire alarm but when added to a great banh mi, it just might be able to bring everyone together again. These pickled jewels add the touch of tang, sweet and sour crunch and flavor to not only banh mi, but to many Vietnamese dishes. Most daikon and carrots found are shredded finely, but when it comes to home made, you can have fun and create just about any shape, size and thickness.

Vietnamese pickled daikon and carrots add a crunchy tang to banh mi sandwiches. These pickled daikon and carrots are also versatile and can be eaten in salads, spring rolls and even along side grilled meat/seafood dishes. The longer the pickled carrots and daikon are allowed to pickled, the more sour they become. So plan accordingly and pickle the carrots and daikon ahead of time for your menu planning.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. carrots -shredded in food processor, sliced in thin rounds or thin match-like strips.

1/2 lb. daikon radish – cut same as carrots.

3 cups warm water

3 Tablespoons distilled or rice vinegar

2-3 tablespoons sugar, depending on how sweet you want your pickles

2 tablespoons salt

1. Mix warm water, vinegar, sugar and salt until everything is dissolved. Choose a pitcher or bowl with a lip that can be used for pouring mixture.

2. Peel, wash and cut daikon & carrots to desired size. Combine both together in bowl and blot dry with paper towel.

3. Fill carrot & daikon mixture into a tight lid jar, bowl or similar container.

4. Pour liquid salt mixture into carrot & daikon container till full. Close lid and let it pickle for about 3-5 days, or till desired sourness. For immediate use, let marinade for about 1 hour.

Bánh Mì Vegetarian Recipes

White on Rice Couple — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 16:15:01 +0000

Vegetarian Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwiches are delicious, satisfying and very flavorful. Often times, you don’t even miss the meat. The vegetarian banh mi options are endless, but here is one Lemongrass Tofu Banh Mi recipe that is full of flavorful protein and healthy too.

Lemongrass Tofu Banh Mi
Ingredients:

1 pkg of firm tofu.

1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic

5 table spoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 -2 stalks of fresh lemongrass. When chopped should be about 1/4 cup.

1. Drain Tofu and blot dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Slice into about 1/4 ” pieces.

2. Wash lemongrass and chop bulbs and remaining of stalk that is tender. Place chopped lemongrass in mortar & pestle and continue to crush pieces till they are small and pulverized. Add 2 cloves of garlic in mortar and crush garlic together with lemongrass.

3. In large plastic freezer bag, combine crushed lemongrass, garlic, vegetable oil, soy sauce, salt, pepper and sesame oil. Mix the marinade well, then add slices of tofu in bag. Lay tofu slices in gently on top of each other so that they don’t break. Make sure all marinate coats each slice of tofu.

4. Let marinade for at least 1 hour or until all tofu slices soak up the marinade.

5. Heat up frying pan. Do not add oil to the pan because the tofu is well oiled. Fry slices of tofu until both sides are golden brown with a nice firm crust.

6. Let cool and assemble banh mi.

Use your choice of Banh Mi condiments from the Condiment List.

More Bánh Mì Vegetarian Recipes

Raspberry Eggplant – Mushroom Banh Mi recipe

Portobello Cap Banh Mi recipe

Too Many Chef’s – Tofu Banh Mi recipe