My Vietnamese Adventure!

My BF and I absolutely love these Vietnamese sandwiches called Bánh mì (pickled veggies, cilantro, jalapeño peppers, pate, mayo and meat or tofu), so when I happened to find myself with an excess of pate, I decided to challenge myself to make them! They were delicious, and while not hard to make, it was quite an adventure along the way. So I will share my story (and recipe) here. :)

Ingredients

• Crusty French sandwich rolls
• Pate
• Homemade mayo
• Pickled vegetables (carrots, cucumber, onion, daikon)
• Cilantro
• Jalapeño peppers
• chả lụa (Vietnamese Ham)

The first step is to pickle your vegetables. Fresh from the farmers market, you'll want to get some carrots, an English cucumber, onion and a daikon (see My date with daikons). Peel and slice them very thin, like matchsticks. I make quite a bit as they are everyone's favorite and they will keep (see squid salad recipe below). While you are chopping, boil one cup unseasoned rice vinegar and 5 tablespoons sugar until dissolved. Let cool and then combine with your vegetables and refrigerate, preferably overnight, but at least until pickled!

Once I had that taken care of, I embarked on the adventure to find the chả lụa, or the Vietnamese Ham. I thought for sure Uwajimaya would carry it, but no luck for me. So, I used one of my lifelines and called my aunt who is a fabulous Vietnamese cook and she directed me over the phone to not only the Vietnamese market, but exactly where in the non-English speaking grocery where to find this meat and what brand to buy (Phu-huong)! I chose two kinds; classic pork and pork with pork rinds. I also bought something that looks more like a cured, bologna ham. Simply unwrapping these things was entertainment in itself (they are boiled in banana leaves!). Slice them thin, 1/4 inch thick or less.

Homemade mayonnaise is a must. Separate 4 - 6 egg yolks, and mix with a tablespoon of lemon juice, a teaspoon of chopped garlic, teaspoon good vinegar (I used white wine) and salt and pepper. Use a hand mixer or a KitchenAid and slowly poor in a good oil (like Saffola or sunflower) while mixing. Add enough oil until it is the consistency you prefer. For the Bánh mì, I recommend a little more on the saucy side rather than super firm.

Slice up the jalapeño, very thin, and remove the seeds. You can peel it first if you are concerned about the heat. De-stem a few sprigs of cilantro.

I served it buffet style for our guests so everyone got to build their own! My recommendation, pile on the ingredients, you won't be sorry!

• Slice the bread, Subway style
• Spread a layer of pate on one side
• Spread a layer of mayo on the other side
• Layer the meat, pickled veggies, jalapeños and cilantro

Sooo good! Enjoy! If you want to try out Bánh mì without making them yourself, you can find them at most markets in the International District, even Uwajimaya, and they are dirt cheap ($1.50-$2).

My aunt also sent me her recipe for Squid salad, and while I haven't made it yet, I can tell you it is amazing. Plus, it is the same recipe for the pickled veggies, so you have two meals covered! She was happy to let me share it with you all:

Salad

• 1 butter lettuce, torn into bite pieces
• 1 small green mango, shredded into julienne strips
• 1 English cucumber, sliced thin
• 1 cup of daikon & carrot pickles (Boil 1 c of Japanese rice vinegar + 5 Tbsp of sugar. Let it cool then add daikon + carrot julienne strips. Can be kept in fridge up to 1 month.)
• 1 lbs of squid, blanched in boiling water
• Some peanuts, crushed
• Some cilantro + mint, minced

Dressing:

• 2 Tbsp of sugar
• 3 Tbsp of rice vinegar (use the one from pickled juice of daikon + carrot)
• 1/2 tsp of chili garlic sauce, or more if prefer spicier, or minced fresh chili
• 2 Tbsp of fresh lime juice
• 3 Tbsp of water
• 2 Tbsp of fish sauce, preferably "Phu Quoc" from Flying Lion brand, or "3 crabs"

All the ingredients can be layered as the above order or you can mix them all. Pour in the dressing before serving.

If anyone else tries this out, let me know what you think!