Banh mi
A Vietnamese sandwich (banh mi means bread in Vietnamese) that’s become a street food sensation. Packed with deliciously sweet and spicy pork belly, quick pickles and topped with chilli sauce it’s an absolute treat to eat and easy to prepare in advance for friends or family.
Ingredients
For the Vietnamese pork belly
- 1 large garlic clove, crushed
- ½ thumb-sized piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
- ½ tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp lemongrass paste
- 1 tsp runny honey
- 2 large pork belly strips (approx. 150g/5½oz)
For the quick pickles
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp golden caster sugar
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 small carrot, peeled and thinly sliced into batons
- 3 large radishes, thlnly sliced
For the sandwiches
- 2 small baguettes
- Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise, to serve
- large handful fresh coriander
- sriracha hot sauce, to serve (optional)
Method
First, marinate the pork belly. Whisk the garlic and ginger together in a small shallow dish along with the soy sauce, fish sauce, lemongrass paste and honey. Add the pork belly strips, making sure they’re completely coated in the marinade. Set aside for at least an hour, but preferably overnight.
Preheat the grill to its highest settling. Meanwhile, to make the quick pickles, whisk together the vinegar, sugar and salt in a shallow bowl and add the carrot and radish Set aside.
Line the grill pan with kitchen foil, placing the rack on top. Place the pork belly strips on the rack and grill for 15 minutes, turning half way, or until the pork is cooked through and is crisp and caramelised around the edges.
To assemble the sandwiches, split the baguettes lengthways and spread them generously with mayonnaise. Slice the pork belly on a diagonal and pat the pickles dry using kitchen paper before stuffing both into the baguettes along with a good amount of fresh coriander. Serve with a squeeze of sriracha hot sauce, if desired.
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