Basic Bahn Mi Sandwiches
If you haven’t enjoyed the pleasure of an authentic bahn mi sandwich, I suggest you grab a friend and head for the best Vietnamese restaurant in your area. Then, order yourself a Vietnamese iced coffee, split a bowl of pho (is that even possible?), and finish with a bahn mi. Once your tastebuds have experienced this umami explosion, you’re going to want to figure out how to create that at home.
This recipe is what I call Basic Bahn Mi. It’s quick and easy, and it combines so many exotic flavors. If you don’t have some of these ingredients at home and you love Asian flavors, they are good staples to keep in the fridge. If you’re cooking for one or two, you can certainly halve the recipe, but I like to use two pork loins so there’s plenty and more for leftovers.
BASIC BAHN MI
INGREDIENTS:
2 1-pound-ish pork loins
5 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons real maple syrup
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ginger paste or 1 small knob ginger, minced (depending on your preference)
Black pepper
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 French baguette
Topping ideas: organic mayonnaise, red leaf lettuce, cilantro, pickled radishes, carrot slices, jalapeno peppers, red onion
INSTRUCTIONS:
Cut tenderloin into ½-inch pieces. In an extra-large zip-top bag (or you can use a large covered bowl), add meat plus all ingredients from fish sauce to pepper. Zip the bag and use your hands to ensure all pieces of meat are coated. Let the marinade sit for at least 30 minutes (or 15 if you don’t have 30, but the logner the better!). Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, and add oil along with the meat and marinade. You will need to work in batches unless you have a very large pan. Sear the meat on one side for a few minutes, then flip and sear on the other side. The meat should cook in just a few minutes on each side. To assemble your sandwiches, cut the baguette into smaller sandwich serving sizes, and add whatever toppings you’d like.
