Bánh Mí

Name: Banh Mi (Bánh Mí)
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 1 half-baguette or 2 Vietnamese bread rolls; 2 tablespoons whole-egg aïoli; 2 leaves oakleaf lettuce, torn; 100g thinly sliced char siu; 40g pickled carrot and daikon; 1 green onion, cut into thin strips; ½ Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced; Pickled minced red chilli, to taste; Small sprigs coriander, to taste

I love the way food travels around the world, weaving aspects of one culture into another. The French brought their crisp, fluffy baguettes to Vietnam in the mid-1800s and just over a century later, the Vietnamese brought them to Australia. Now banh mi are one of our take-away mainstays. While they’re a healthy quick lunch to grab on the run, they’re even better when you take the time to make them at home – and fun to serve as finger food or a starter if you turn them into mini banh mi on slices of baguette. Enjoy with a 333 Vietnamese beer!

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 half-baguette or 2 Vietnamese bread rolls
2 tablespoons whole-egg aïoli (such as Birch & Waite)
2 leaves oakleaf lettuce, torn
100g char siu, thinly sliced
40g pickled carrot and daikon (see video below)
1 green onion, cut into thin strips
½ Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced
Pickled minced red chilli, to taste
Small sprigs coriander, and/or perilla, mint or Thai basil leaves, to taste

Method

If using a baguette, slice into two then slice in half lengthways, if using rolls, just slice lengthways.
Spread cut sides with aïoli.
Add lettuce, then char siu.
Top with pickled carrot and daikon then green onion.
Slide slices of cucumber in against the other side of the bread.
Add as much or as little chilli as you like.
Tuck in a sprig or 2 of coriander and/or perilla, mint or Thai basil leaves and serve.