Banh Mi Thit Nuong

About This Recipe

Banh Mi (bánh mì) is one of the great culinary legacies of French colonial Vietnam: the Vietnamese baguette, lighter and crispier than its French counterpart, became the canvas for an explosion of local flavour. Banh Mi Thit Nuong — the grilled pork version — layers caramelised, lemongrass-marinated pork with the contrasting textures and flavours that make a great banh mi: tangy quick-pickled daikon and carrot (do chua), cool cucumber slices, a smear of savoury paté or mayonnaise, fresh coriander leaves and sliced bird's eye chilli. The result is a sandwich of extraordinary complexity — sweet, sour, savoury, spicy, fresh and crunchy — all achieved in under 30 minutes once the pork is marinated. Street vendors across Vietnam sell hundreds per day from converted motorbikes; the best ones in Ho Chi Minh City have queues stretching around the block.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500 gpork shoulder or pork belly(thinly sliced)
• 4Vietnamese baguettes or light French baguettes
• 2 stalkslemongrass(white part only, finely minced)
• 3 tablespoonsfish sauce
• 2 tablespoonshoney or sugar
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tablespoonvegetable oil
• 150 gdaikon radish(julienned)
• 150 gcarrot(julienned)
• 4 tablespoonsrice vinegar
• 2 tablespoonssugar(for pickling)
• 1 teaspoonsalt(for pickling)
• 4 tablespoonsmayonnaise or pork paté
• 1 mediumcucumber(thinly sliced)
• 1 bunchfresh coriander
• 2bird's eye chillies(sliced)

Instructions

1. 1

   Quick-pickle the vegetables

   Combine the julienned daikon and carrot in a bowl. Add rice vinegar, sugar and salt. Toss well and leave to pickle for at least 20 minutes (or up to several hours). The vegetables should soften slightly and turn tangy-sweet.

   Do chua (pickled daikon and carrot) is essential to banh mi — the acidity cuts through the richness of the pork and mayonnaise.

2. 2

   Marinate the pork

   Mix together the minced lemongrass, fish sauce, honey, garlic and vegetable oil. Toss with the sliced pork and leave to marinate for at least 15 minutes, or overnight in the fridge for best results.

3. 3

   Grill the pork

   Heat a grill pan or barbecue to very high heat. Cook the pork slices in a single layer for 2–3 minutes per side until charred and caramelised at the edges. The sugar in the marinade should form a golden crust. Work in batches if necessary.

4. 4

   Warm the baguettes

   Warm the baguettes in a 180°C oven for 5 minutes or under the grill until the crust is crisp. Split lengthwise without cutting all the way through.

5. 5

   Assemble

   Spread each baguette with a generous layer of mayonnaise (or a thin smear of pork paté followed by mayonnaise). Layer in the grilled pork, a handful of drained pickled vegetables, cucumber slices, fresh coriander and sliced chilli. Close firmly and serve immediately while the bread is still crisp.

Variations

• •

  Banh Mi Dac Biet (special) uses a combination of Vietnamese charcuterie including cha lua (steamed pork roll) and head cheese.

• •

  A tofu version makes an excellent vegetarian banh mi — marinate firm tofu in the same lemongrass mixture.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

The grilled pork keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Pickled vegetables keep for 2 weeks refrigerated. Assemble sandwiches fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions