Cookbook:Bánh Mì

| Vietnamese Cuisine | Sandwiches

Bánh mì means 'bread' in Vietnamese, and it often refers to a type of Vietnamese sandwich. It may have started as a 'kitchen sink' recipe in Vietnam, where various leftovers would be tossed into a sandwich to finish them up (like a po' boy). Bánh mì is now sought after by many for its unique and delicious flavors. There are many different types of bánh mì sandwiches, ranging from chunked BBQ grilled pork, sliced pork pate, and shredded grilled chicken, to grilled and smoked fish, sardine, meatball, Chinese-style sausage, and tripe.

Choices of bread are also quite varied. It is customary to use a toasted French baguette or French bread, because of the textures these breads provide: bánh mì tastes best when the outer crust of the bread is firm but not overly hard, and the inner part of the bread is fluffy and light like a yeast roll, that is, one which is not overly dense or spongy. The reason for this is that the crust's firmness provides a barrier for the moisture of the sandwich, and the lightness of the inner bread does not overwhelm the flavors of the sandwich, which would otherwise make the sandwich taste overly 'bready'. Still, no sandwich tastes better than the flavor of the bread, so make sure the bread is fresh and flavorful (preferably one from a bakery). Using a store-bought bread yields unpredictable results as they tend to taste overly processed or they taste like the plastic or paper bag in which they are kept.

Ingredients
Many different ingredients may be used to make bánh mì. Put in as many as you wish in your sandwich—each is different.

Core ingredients

 * 1 loaf baguette-style bread
 * Julienned carrot
 * Julienned daikon radish
 * Salt
 * Water
 * Coconut vinegar or white vinegar
 * Sugar

Standard bánh mì fillings

 * Cilantro (coriander) leaves and stems
 * Super-thin jalapeño slices
 * Fresh sliced cucumber

Meat fillings

 * BBQ pork
 * BBQ chicken
 * Sliced pork paté
 * Sliced pork meatloaf
 * Sliced ham
 * BBQ beef
 * Textured vegetable protein (wheat gluten, seitan, sueyu, suegai - vegetarian fish fillets)
 * Seasoned tofu
 * Meatballs
 * Sliced Chinese/Thai/Vietnamese-style sausage (waxy kind)
 * Sardines
 * Tripe
 * Smoked salmon
 * Grilled or fried whitefish

Optional additional fillings

 * Sliced turnip
 * Sliced green onions
 * Sliced, patted dry tomatoes
 * Sprigs of mint
 * Sprigs of basil
 * Shredded cabbage
 * Sprout mix
 * Lettuce

Sauces for sandwich

 * Japanese mayonnaise (Kewpie Mayo - squeeze bottle with a baby on front)
 * Mayso (mayo and soy sauce)
 * Maysocha (mayo, soy sauce, and sriracha chili sauce)
 * Maycha (mayo and sriracha)
 * Hot Mom (mayo, Lao Gan Ma – Sad, Old grandmother Chinese hot sauce)
 * Any of the above with lime or lemon juice and sugar
 * BBQ sauce and mayo

Pickling the vegetables

 * 1) Lightly sprinkle the julienned carrot and radish with salt. Let rest 5 min, then rinse with cold water.
 * 2) Mix equal parts of water, vinegar with sugar. Bring to a boil, cool, and pour over vegetables.
 * 3) Store this mixture in a container in the refrigerator for at least a day before using.

Sandwich assembly

 * 1) Slice a length of baguette lengthwise. Form a trench in each half by either removing the excess bread or compressing it. These depressions are where you will put the filling.
 * 2) Toast the bread if desired.
 * 3) Spread a layer of desired sauce(s) on each half of the bread.
 * 4) Fill the sandwich with any of the desired fillings listed above.
 * 5) Serve.