Name: Pho Thien Vietnamese Kitchen - Auroras Banh Mi Recipe
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 2 pieces French baguette (crusty, small/medium); 0.5 cups Mayonnaise (preferably Japanese Kewpie); 1 tbs Soy sauce; 1 tsp Sriracha or chili sauce; 0.5 cups Cilantro (fresh, stems trimmed); 0.5 cups Cucumber (English or Persian), thinly sliced; 1 piece Jalapeño or Thai chiles, thinly sliced; 1 portion Pickled carrots and daikon (see pickles section); 1 lb Pork shoulder or pork loin, thinly sliced (or chicken thigh/firm tofu); 2 tbs Lemongrass, finely minced (white part only); 3 cloves Garlic, minced; 1 tsp Sugar; 2 tbs Fish sauce; 1 tbs Soy sauce; 1 tbs Vegetable oil; 0.5 tsp Black pepper; 1 cup Carrot, julienned; 1 cup Daikon radish, julienned; 0.75 cups Rice vinegar; 0.25 cups Water; 2 tbs Sugar; 1 tsp Salt

Method

Pickles (Quick Pickled Carrot & Daikon)

1
Prepare and pickle vegetables
Trim and peel carrot and daikon. Julienne each into matchstick-sized pieces so total equals about 2 cups. In a small saucepan, combine rice vinegar, water, sugar and salt. Warm over medium heat just until sugar dissolves (about 2 minutes). Let brine cool to room temperature (5–10 minutes). Place julienned vegetables in a clean jar or bowl and pour cooled brine over them until submerged. Press to remove air bubbles and place a small plate or weight on top to keep vegetables submerged. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes; best if 2 hours or overnight. Drain before assembling.

Protein (Grilled Pork/Chicken/Tofu)

2
Marinate protein
Slice pork (or chicken/thin tofu slabs) thinly across the grain into 1/8–1/4" pieces. In a bowl, combine minced lemongrass, minced garlic, sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, vegetable oil and black pepper. Toss the protein with the marinade ensuring pieces are evenly coated. Marinate for 20–30 minutes at room temperature or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
3
Cook protein
Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Lightly oil the surface. Remove protein from marinade, letting excess drip off. For pork or chicken: cook 2–3 minutes per side until nicely charred and internal temperature reaches safe level (pork 145°F/63°C, chicken 165°F/74°C). For tofu: cook 3–4 minutes per side until crisp and browned. Transfer cooked protein to a plate and let rest 2–3 minutes, then slice or break into sandwich-sized pieces.

Sandwich and Assembly

4
Prepare flavored mayo
In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise with soy sauce and sriracha (adjust heat to taste). Stir until smooth.
5
Prep vegetables and bread
Thinly slice cucumber and jalapeño. Lightly split the baguettes lengthwise, keeping one side attached (like a hinge). If bread is stale or very crusty, warm in a 350°F/175°C oven for 4–6 minutes to refresh. Spread 1–2 tablespoons of flavored mayo evenly on both cut sides of each baguette.
6
Assemble banh mi
Layer on each baguette: a portion of cooked protein (about half the cooked meat per sandwich), a handful of drained pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber slices, jalapeño slices to taste, and a generous handful of cilantro (stems and all if desired). Press gently to compact. If desired, drizzle any reserved pan juices or a touch more soy sauce over the protein before closing the sandwich.
7
Serve
Cut each sandwich in half on a diagonal. Serve immediately while the protein is warm so the bread stays crisp and pickles are bright. Offer extra sriracha or fish sauce on the side.

Banh Mi Recipe

Ingredients

Sandwich and Assembly

Protein (Grilled Pork/Chicken/Tofu)

Pickles (Quick Pickled Carrot & Daikon)

Method

Pickles (Quick Pickled Carrot & Daikon)

Prepare and pickle vegetables

Protein (Grilled Pork/Chicken/Tofu)

Marinate protein

Cook protein

Sandwich and Assembly

Prepare flavored mayo

Prep vegetables and bread

Assemble banh mi

Serve

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