Easy Bánh Mì Thịt Xá Xíu with pickled vegetables, chiles, cilantro and a quick stove-top char siu (Chinese barbecued pork).
Course Entree, Sandwich
Cuisine Best, Vietnamese
Level Intermediate
Main Ingredient Pork
Diet Dairy-Free
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 5 minutesminutes
Total Time 15 minutesminutes
Servings 2sandwiches
Ingredients
for quick pickles
140gramsdaikon(peeled and julienned)
70gramscarrot(peeled and julienned)
1tablespoongranulated sugar
2tablespoonsrice vinegar
2tablespoonsfish sauce
for Quick Xa Xiu
300gramspork belly(chopped)
¼teaspoonfive spice powder
1tablespoonshoney
1tablespoonsShaoxing wine
1tablespoonhoisin sauce
1teaspoonfish sauce
7gramsgarlic(~1 large clove grated )
for banh mi
2small loavesFrench bread(10-inches long)
pâté(optional)
cucumber(cut into sticks)
green chili- hot (sliced)
cilantro
Instructions
To make the pickles, put the julienned daikon and carrots in a sealable bag and add the sugar, vinegar, and fish sauce. Press out as much air as you can and then seal the bag. Massage the vegetables through the bag to accelerate the pickling process, otherwise you can prepare these a day in advance.
Put the pork in a bowl along with the five spice powder, honey, Shaoxing wine, hoisin sauce, fish sauce and garlic. Stir well to combine.
Add the pork in a single layer to a large room temperature non-stick frying pan and turn the stove on to medium heat. Fry the meat on one side until browned on that side and then stir fry, keeping the meat moving around the pan continuously to keep it from burning. It's done when the sauce has reached a dark caramel color and most of the fat has rendered out from the pork. Use tongs to transfer the pork to a paper towel lined plate, leaving as much of the oil behind in the pan as possible.
To assemble the banh mi, toast the bread in the oven until it's warmed through and the outside is crisp. Slice the bread in half, leaving a bit of crust on one side intact to act as a hinge.
Spread some Pâté onto the bread and top with the xa xiu, cucumber, pickles, chiles, and cilantro. Serve with Sriracha.
Notes
NotesIf you want to overstuff your banh mi, you can scrape out some of the inside of the bread to make room for the filling.