BANH MI (VIETNAMESE SANDWICHES)


What I like in Banh Mi sandwiches are the crunchy Vietnamese baguette, the blanched carrots and cucumber marinated in seasoned vinegar, the white part of the green onion (cut into thin strips), sprigs of cilantro, and the special sauce that gives life to this delicious sandwich. I used fish fillet (tilapia) which I pan fried as the main ingredient. You can also use chicken, pork, beef, or other seafood like shrimps, crabs, etc. depending on what you like.

Main Ingredient
3 tilapia fillets (sprinkle salt & pepper and add lemon juice)
dash of salt & pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 to 4 tablespoons canola canola oil

Garnish
1/2 cup sliced blanched carrots
1/2 cup sliced cucumber
1/4 cup turnip or Jicama (cut into thin strips)
1/2 cup seasoned vinegar
3 green leaf lettuce
8 sprigs of cilantro
3 stalks green onion (use only the bottom white part)

Sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon Nuoc Nam (Vietnamese fish sauce)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cold water

Vietnamese Baguette
3 eight inches Vietnamese Baguette (horizontally sliced in the middle but not all the way through)

Procedure
Pan fry the tilapia fillets in canola oil until cook or for about 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside. Blanched the sliced carrot in hot boiling water for 1 or 2 minutes.  Let cool. Marinate carrots with the sliced cucumber in the seasoned vinegar for about 10 minutes.  Make your special sauce by adding them all together in a bowl and mix in the blender. Reheat 8" baguettes that have been sliced in the middle horizontally but not all the way through. 

How to arrange your Banh Mi
Get one 8" baguette and line the bottom with the green lettuce, fish, carrots, cucumber, strips of Jicama or turnip, green onion (white only), and sprigs of cilantro.  Drizzle generously with the special sauce.  Put a toothpick in the middle of both ends of the sandwich to hold them together then cut in the middle and serve immediately. Do the same thing with the other two 8" baguettes.

Serves 3
Tested in Chris' kitchen on 02/24/2011 

Comments

Anonymous said…
It was delicious! The shrimp was really tender, a really nice compliment to the veggies and the bread. Yum!!

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