Weeknight Banh Mi
Who said sandwiches can’t be for dinner? The banh mi has been a long time favorite of mine. I wanted to do a quick and delicious version of it and this is exactly that. Give it a try, the meatballs alone are a winner.
Ingredients
PICKLED CARROT AND DAIKON SLAW/DO CHUA (1 QUART):
- 150 g diakon, shredded
- 150 g carrot, shredded
- 200 g water
- 100 g rice vinegar
- 100 g white vinegar
- 40 g sugar
- 4 g salt
PORK MEATBALLS:
- 900 g ground Pork
- 10 g salt
- 25 g sugar
- 5 g black pepper
- 10 g corn starch
- 60 g fish sauce
- 30 g garlic, grated/minced, 5-6 cloves
- 30 g ginger, grated
- 60 g shallot, finely minced
- 20 g fresh basil
NUOC CHAM (1 CUP):
- 120 g water
- 45 g fish sauce
- 25 g granulated sugar
- 25 g lime juice, 1 whole
- 10 g garlic, minced, 2-3 cloves
- 10 g sambal
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS & ASSEMBLY:
- 1 english cucumber, partially peeled and cut into thin planks
- 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
- cilantro, rough chopped
- store-bought baguettes/hoagies
- mayonnaise, duke’s or homemade
Instructions
PICKLED CARROT AND DAIKON SLAW (Do Chua):
- Bring water, vinegars, sugar, & salt to a boil. Add shredded vegetables and submerge, remove from heat.
- Let cool at room temperature before refrigerating for up to 90 days.
PORK MEATBALLS:
- Preheat oven to 475°F/245°C
- In a bowl combine all ingredients and mix until well incorporated.
- Scoop 2oz/2 heaping tablespoons of meat, roll each scoop into a ball and arrange each one at least 1" apart on a parchment lined sheet tray
- Bake for 12-15 minutes/ or until internal temperature is 165°F/73℃ or higher. Remove the meatballs from the oven and let them rest until you are ready to build the sandwich.
NUOC CHAM:
- Combine ingredients and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Use immediately or store in an airtight container for up to one month.
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS & ASSEMBLY:
- Reheat/Toast baguettes in a 475°F/245°C for about 2 minutes until crispy on the outside.
- Cut a slit in your baguette, but be sure not to slice all the way through, leaving enough bread for a hinge.
- Spread mayo on the inside of both sides of the baguette. Arrange 4-5 halves of meatballs down the center of the sandwich, top with a generous pinch of the carrot daikon slaw, then cucumber planks, 4-5 pieces of jalapeno. Top with a handful of cilantro and finish with a generous drizzle of nuac cham.
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