Vietnamese Street Food
Street food is a weakness of mine. When I travel anywhere, it’s the first thing I look for. You can often get a real sense of a country’s (or city’s) culinary clout by what you purchase from a rickety cart on a bustling corner. In some way, such workman-meals give away a culture’s deeper secrets. What can the average cart-pushing cook whip up on the sidewalk? What does that say about a people group’s creativity, ingenuity, and zest for life? You can learn a lot about people by what and how they cook, if you pay attention. Some of the best meals of my life have come from street carts. Of course, these were not the most elegant and artful meals I’ve ever eaten. They lacked trendy ingredients, pristine plating, and a lavish environment to enjoy them. Yet, as for pure flavor and memorability, street food rules in my book! I ate several meals more than two decades ago that are still so fresh in my mind; I can taste their distinct flavors from memory. Some are so unique; that I may never be able to recreate them quite right.
Banh Mi Sandwich
Vietnamese is my all-out favorite regional cuisine. Fresh, funky, full-bodied, and fragrant. I think the Vietnamese hold the eastern market on flavor and appeal. As for street food, Vietnam offers a thrilling array of choices. Salad bowls, soups, chicken wings, and spring rolls are all sold curbside to hungry passers. Yet above all these, reigns the Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwich. Banh Mi is the term for a Vietnamese baguette made with a combination of wheat and rice flour. A Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwich is stuffed with marinated meats, cucumbers, herbs, and pickled veggies. Most Banh Mi sandwiches are also spread with pate’. The bread and pate’ are no surprise to historians, as Vietnam was a French colony in the 1800s. The marinated meats and the pickled veggies are the standout items on this Vietnamese sandwich. The chicken is soaked in a fish sauce and lime juice marinade in my version of the Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwiches.
Banh Mi Recipe Ingredients
For the Chicken:
Fish Sauce – Don’t be tempted to skip the fish sauce. It is a vital part of Vietnamese cooking. My suggestion with fish sauce is, hold your nose while pouring. The heinous odor will diminish once cooked, leaving a remarkable flavor. Fresh Lime Juice Granulated Sugar Cloves Garlic – minced Jalapeno Salt Chicken Breasts – Boneless and skinless
For the Pickled Veggies:
Hot Tap Water Rice Vinegar Sugar Salt Crushed Red Pepper Carrots – sliced thin on the bias Daikon Radishes – sliced thin on the bias
For the Sandwiches:
Soft Sub Rolls Mayo Cucumber – sliced thin Cilantro Leaves – or even mint will work instead Sliced Jalapeno – for extra heat (this is an optional ingredient)
I left the paté off my Banh Mi sandwiches and added a little mayonnaise. I feel the mayo offers a smooth, creamy base and doesn’t distract from the star ingredients!
How To Make A Vietnamese Sandwich
Grilling the marinated chicken creates a caramelized crust with a juicy interior. For those without access to a grill, you could definitely broil the chicken for a similar effect. However, I suggest investing in an iron grill pan. A good grill pan will produce wonderful grill marks, plus the fat and juices run away from the meat just like on an outdoor grill! A Banh Mi Sandwich is always a big hit any time I make it, just like many Vietnamese restaurants. Give it a try!
How Long Do The Banh Mi Leftovers Last?
If stored in an airtight container, the meat can last for up to a week. If you do not want to use the leftovers in sandwiches, you can make a Banh Mi Rice Bowl, stuff them into spring rolls, or even serve them over a salad.
Can I Use Other Meats?
Yes, you can use other meat variations. This recipe will also taste great with pork loin instead of chicken, or thinly sliced beef or ham. For meat-free protein, you can even incorporate hard-boiled egg slices, or tofu if desired.
What Is The Sauce On A Banh Mi?
The traditional spread on a Vietnamese sandwich is usually liver pate. Pate is a silky paste made from chicken, duck, or pork liver. In our recipe, we have omitted the pate because it can be challenging to find or make, and is a bit polarizing to some people. We feel the mayonnaise and pickled vegetables add plenty of flavor, without the pate. However, if you want to spread pate on the grilled bread, go for it!
Other Great Vietnamese Recipes
Vietnamese Banh Mi Salad Recipe Vietnamese Banh Mi Street Tacos Recipe Bánh Xèo Recipe (Vietnamese Crepes) Recipe Vietnamese Bun Cha Gio Recipe Vietnamese Chicken Salad Recipe (Goi Ga) Vietnamese Fresh Spring Roll Bowls Recipe Low Carb Vietnamese Pho Soup Recipe Vietnamese Chicken Pho Soup with Zoodles Recipe Vietnamese Spring Rolls Recipe Pickled Carrots by The Daring Gourmet
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