[vegan] Bánh mì (Vietnamese Sandwich)

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COLLECTIVE! I've done it! On my first try I perfected my vegan Bánh mì! I can not wait for you to try this out!

What is Bánh mì?

Bánh mì is a Vietnamese sandwich that is traditionally made with pate, asian ham, pickled vegetables - all served on a crusty baguette. I first had bánh mì when I was on vacation in Boston seven years ago. There was an adorable little food truck at Harvard and my friend and I at the time weren't vegan so we shared bánh mì. I wasn't really a foodie at the time so I don't think I appreciated the dish all that much. BUT a few months ago Rob, our friend and I all went out to a vegan-friendly restaurant in the river district and something told me to order the bánh mì. It was good, but made with oyster mushrooms (which I love when Rob and I make them, but not so much when other people do). So, ever since then, I have been craving a crunchy and savory Vietnamese sandwich. I decided to recreate this sandwich with crunchy tofu in place of the meat aspect and oh ma gawwwwd, it's good.

How to Quick Pickle Veggies

I have never really successfully pickled something. Normally, the only kind of pickles I like are spicy dill and I can never get them flavorful enough, but I wanted to make this sandwich as close to the real thing as possible so I read up on how to quick pickle, and altered the technique to match this dish and it turned out really well! What you'll have to do is julienne some vegetables. Traditional bánh mì has carrots and daikon (radish). To make this more accessible, as some people may not have access to daikon - I used a pre-cut "broccoli slaw", cucumbers and bell peppers. This worked out and tasted great, so while not traditional, it encompassed the same flavors and technique.

After I cut julienne peppers and cucumbers I put them in a mason jar with about a quarter cup or so of broccoli slaw (which has shredded broccoli, carrots and red cabbage). From there I added the sugar, salt, red pepper flakes, garlic, warm water and rice vinegar. Gave it a shake and stored it in the fridge until dinner time when I made the remainder of the dish. The vegetables weren't overly sour and were nice and flavorful to add a nice cold and crunchy aspect to the sandwich.

How to Make Crunchy Tofu

This paragraph is for all the tofu haters out there (me too!). I make my tofu really thin and extra crispy that way I can enjoy it. Tofu for me, tastes and feels like play-dough. But if it's prepared the right way, it can be really yummy.

To make my tofu I cut them into really thin planks (the width of the block). I then dip them into low-sodium soy sauce and coat in cornstarch that I add black pepper to. While doing this, I allow a mixture of primarily olive oil and part sesame oil to heat on the stove. Once hot, I add the tofu into the oil straightaway and allow it to cook for awhile (longer than most people do, to dry it out and crisp up). I flip them every few minutes until they develop a nice dark, crispy exterior.

After they are done frying, I put them on a small plate and brush them with Bibigo Korean BBQ Original marinade. I then assemble the sandwich quickly to ensure they don't get soft from the sauce (you want that nice crunch when biting into the sandwich).

Assembling the Sandwich

Ensure to throw a crusty baguette into the oven a few minutes before your tofu is done! You want the bread fresh out of the oven. To assemble the sandwich, slice your baguette and spread a thin layer of my Sweet Sambal Mayo. Next, place two planks of coated tofu and an assortment of your pickled veggies. Optional: top with jalapeños, green onion greens and cilantro.

Then..... DIG...IN!

I served my bánh mì with a simple side salad, but honestly the sandwich was so filling, we didn't even really need it - instead I'd recommend serving it with a nice cold glass of kratom or iced green tea!

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If you give this recipe a try please tag us on Instagram @theecogreenco and make sure to use the hashtag #TEGC :)

Also, feel free to leave a comment on this post, we'd love to hear your feedback and see your recreations of our recipes!- xoxo Rachel & Natalie

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[vegan] Bánh mì (Vietnamese Sandwich)

Ingredients (serves 2):

For the Pickled Veggies -

• 1 Cup (in total) - Bell Pepper, Cucumber, Broccoli Slaw (or other veggies of choice), julienned

• 1/4 Cup - Rice Vinegar

• 3/4-1 Cup - Warm Water

• 1 tsp - Fresh Garlic, minced

• 1 tsp - Sugar (vegan)

• 1/2 tsp - Salt

• 1/2 tsp - Red Pepper Flakes

For the Sweet Sambal Mayo -

• 2 tbl - Mayo, vegan

• 1 tsp - Sambal (can substitute for Sriracha)

• 1/2 tsp - Agave

For the Sandwich -

• 4 slices - Super Firm Tofu, thinly sliced

• 1/4 Cup - Cornstarch

• 1 tsp - Black Pepper

• 1/4 Cup - Low-Sodium Soy Sauce

• 1 tbl - Bibigo Korean BBQ Original Marinade

• 1/4 Cup - Frying Oil (I used a mixture of olive oil and sesame oil)

• 1 small loaf - Crusty Baguette, I used Italian

• Garnishes - jalapeño slices (fresh), green onion, and cilantro

Procedures:

1. Pickle your veggies. Julienne cucumber and bell pepper. Add to a mason jar with broccoli slaw and all other ingredients. Shake well, refrigerate for a few hours (longer the better).

2. Fry and coat tofu. Heat oil in shallow frying pan. Thinly slice tofu. Combine cornstarch and black pepper. Dip tofu slices in soy sauce and then coat well in cornstarch. Fry well on medium heat, flipping every few minutes until evenly crispy. Brush on the Korean BBQ marinate.

3. Make sweet sambal mayo. Mix all ingredients together well. Set aside.

4. Assemble the sandwich. Heat baguette in oven at 375F for a few minutes. Slice in half lengthwise. Layer on the sambal mayo, two slices of tofu, pickled veggies and top with your garnishes (fresh jalapeños, green onion and cilantro).

5. Enjoy. Serve immediately.