Grilled Pork Banh Mi

• servings: 4-6 (6-8 sandwiches)
• active time: 30 minutes
• total time: 1 hour (4-8 hour wait)

Ingredients

Lemongrass pork

2 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed and sliced into ¼” thick slices, pound to about ⅛” thick

2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped

¼ cup lemongrass (white inner part of 3 stalks)

⅓ cup fish sauce

3 tbsp oyster sauce

3 tbsp lime juice

3 tbsp maple syrup (or another sweetener)

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 in ginger, peeled

5 cloves garlic

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 tbsp Sambal Oelek (or another chili sauce like Sriracha)

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp Chinese 5-spice

Sandwich Components

6-8 soft french baguettes, about 8 inches long each

1 english cucumber, thinly sliced lengthwise

4-6 jalapenos, thinly sliced

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

¾ cup mayonnaise

1-3 tsp Sambal Oelek (or another chili sauce like Sriracha)

~2 cups Đồ Chua (pickled carrots and daikon, or use whatever you want)

Maggi seasoning (optional, you could make your own mock-sauce)

Directions

Add all the marinade ingredients into a food processor / blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Combine the sliced pork and marinade in a bag or dish and marinate in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours (the longer the better).

Let the cook rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Cook on high heat over a grill or in a pan, about 2 minutes per side, or until just cooked. Work in batches to not overcrowd the pan. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Cut open the baguettes and toast the insides for 1-2 minutes on the grill, or broil for 4-5 minutes in an oven.

Combine the mayonnaise and chili sauce together. Spread a thin layer on the top and bottom of each toasted baguette half.

Layer the sandwiches with sliced meat, drained pickled vegetables, cucumber slices, jalapeno slices, and cilantro. Drizzle with Maggi seasoning and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

A modern fusion of Vietnamese and French cuisine originating from Saigon in the 1950s. It’s a sandwich with a baguette base, spiced cooked meats, and tangy spicy pickles to balance it out. This recipe includes ingredients for a lemongrass grilled pork, but feel free to use whatever protein you like