Mini Bánh Mí

Name: Banh Mi (Bánh Mí)
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 6 slices baguette; 2 tablespoons whole-egg aïoli; 2 leaves oakleaf lettuce, torn; 60g thinly sliced char siu; handful pickled carrot and daikon; 1 green onion, cut into thin strips; ½ Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced; Pickled minced red chilli, to taste; 6 small sprigs coriander, to taste; Betel leaves (optional)

Banh mi are a take-away mainstay. They’re a healthy quick lunch to grab on the run and fun to serve as finger food or a starter if you turn them into little open sandwiches on slices of baguette. Inspired by leftover bits and pieces from a few weeks recipe testing, I whipped up these mini banh mi. Use this recipe as a guide and add whatever leftover Vietnamese herbs or meats you have on hand. Keeping it multi-cultural, I enjoy a glass of mavro kalavrytino Natur from Greek winery Tetramythos, with these French-influenced Vietnamese snacks. See my full-sized banh mi recipe here.

Makes 6 pieces

Ingredients

6 slices baguette
2 tablespoons whole-egg aïoli (such as Birch & Waite)
½ small Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced
Handful pickled carrot and daikon (see video below)
60g char sui, sliced
2 leaves oakleaf lettuce, torn
Pickled minced chilli, to taste
1 green onion, finely chopped
6 small sprigs coriander or other herbs
Betel leaves, for serving (optional)

Method

Spread baguette slices with aïoli.
Add a slice of cucumber on one side with some pickled carrot and daikon beside it.
Top with char siu and tuck a piece of lettuce in among it.
Dot with pickled chilli and sprinkle with green onion.
Add a sprig or 2 of herbs.
Serve on a bed of betel leaves if you like.