Banh Mi Vietnamese Sandwiches (Bánh Mi)

These are excellent and rival anything you would get at a Vietnamese sandwich shop. If you use sourdough for the baguette, it gives it a nice tang. Feel free to use meat leftover from another meal, especially one that contained Asian flavors. Thanks to Mersaydees for putting this recipe in her best of 2008 cookbook and Nancy for including this in her best of 2017!

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 2

Ingredients

• Meat

• 2  boneless skinless chicken breasts (or medallions of pork or other meat, marinated in satay, below, or other Asian marinade)

• Pickled vegetables

• 1  carrot, thinly sliced lengthwise
• 1  daikon radish, 4 inch piece, thinly sliced lengthwise
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 4  teaspoons sugar, divided use
• 3  tablespoons white vinegar
• 2  tablespoons water

• For sandwich assembly

• 1  small baguette, cut into 3 sections, sliced lengthwise, with centers hollowed out
•  mayonnaise or  light mayonnaise
•  soy sauce
•  fresh cilantro
• 1⁄2 cucumber (shredded or thinly sliced lengthwise)
• 1  jalapeno, seeded, cut into matchsticks (or use a serrano or add some seeds, if you want it hot)

• Satay marinade

• 2  tablespoons mirin
• 1⁄2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1⁄4 cup rice vinegar
• 1  tablespoon lime juice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  sweet chili sauce
• 1⁄2 tablespoon  teriyaki sauce
• 1  tablespoon sake
• 1  green onion, white part only, sliced

Directions

1. If using satay marinade, combine ingredients, and marinate meat at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
2. Sprinkle carrot and daikon with salt and 1 teaspoon of the sugar and toss with fingers.
3. Let sit about 3 minutes, until softened (they should be bendable but still crunchy). Rinse and drain.
4. Mix vinegar, water, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Add carrot and daikon, and let marinate at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
5. Grill meat until done and slice.
6. Lightly toast bread. Spread lightly with mayonnaise and sprinkle on soy sauce. Fill with cilantro, carrot, daikon, cucumber, meat and jalapeno. Close and enjoy!