The Vietnamese banh mi is one of the most perfect sandwiches in the world - a product of French colonial culinary fusion where a crispy, airy Vietnamese baguette made with rice flour for lightness meets a profoundly savory filling of grilled lemongrass pork. The pork is marinated in a complex mixture of fish sauce, lemongrass, shallots, garlic, sugar, and five-spice, then grilled over charcoal until caramelized at the edges, the fat rendering into sweet, smoky beads.
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Combine minced lemongrass, fish sauce, sugar, garlic, shallots, oyster sauce, and a pinch of five-spice in a bowl. the sliced pork in this mixture for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
Make the do chua if not already prepared: julienne daikon and carrot, toss with salt, let stand 10 minutes , rinse, then cover with rice vinegar, sugar, and warm water. Let for at least 20 minutes .
the pork over the highest possible heat - a charcoal is ideal - for 2 to 3 minutes per side. The edges should blacken and caramelize from the sugar in the marinade. The interior should remain juicy.
While the pork rests, split the baguettes lengthwise without fully separating them. Toast the cut faces on the for 1 minute until lightly crispy.
Spread Vietnamese mayonnaise (or regular) generously on both cut faces. Add a smear of pate if using.
Layer the pork slices, generous amounts of do chua, whole cilantro sprigs, sliced chilies, and cucumber slices. Press down firmly and serve immediately while the bread is still warm and crispy.
NaN%Hot polenta spreads across a sheet tray to set firm, then gets cut into shapes, dredged through cornmeal for a gritty crust, and pan-fried until the exterior crisps against the tender interior.
1h · Serves 4 · 3 ingredients
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