Banh Mì is the Vietnamese word for bread and more specifically the baguette-shaped bread introduced by the French during the colonial period. Unlike the French version, the Vietnamese baguette is often made with rice flour along with wheat flour (mì).
Initially, Northern Vietnamese called the baguette “bánh tây” (literally: “Western bread”) while in the South it was already the “bánh mì” (i.e. “wheat bread”).
Traditionally, it is filled with pork, pickled carrots and daikon (do chua), cilantro, and served on the street as popular and inexpensive food since the mid-20th century.
However, there are many regional variations*, though the bread and pork belly remain almost unchanged.
It is often found with giò lụa, a common sausage in Vietnamese cuisine, made with pork and traditionally wrapped in banana leaves.
The pork must be tender and shredded, cooked slowly at a low temperature.
Below is the “basic” recipe to which you can add other ingredients to taste, such as cucumbers or green chili peppers, and more.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4 sandwiches
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients
- 4 mini baguette
- 1.1 lbs pork belly with skin
- 1 large carrot
- 1 daikon (or white radish)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- to taste salt
- to taste cilantro leaves
Preparation
For the pickled carrots and daikon (DO CHUA):
Cut the carrots and daikon into julienne strips, and place them in a large bowl
Sprinkle with salt, mix well, and let the vegetables absorb the salt for about 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, lightly squeeze the vegetables and transfer them into the jar where you will store the pickles.
Combine the vinegar, sugar, and 50 ml of hot water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Seal in the jar and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to one week.
For the pork:
Scrape the skin with a knife to remove hairs and impurities, then turn it over and remove any excess fat.
Preheat the oven to 340°F. Cut the pork skin into 1/2 inch intervals with a sharp knife. Cover with 2 tablespoons of sea salt and rub all over the skin. Cook the pork for 40-45 minutes.
Let it rest for 20-30 minutes, then start slicing it thinly
Place the baguettes on the grill and lightly toast them.
Spread the bread with slices of pork, pickled carrots and daikon, and fresh cilantro.
* Other versions of Banh mì:
Banh Mi Que is a more tapered-than-usual sandwich typical of the northern province of Hai Phong.
Bánh mì bơ, with the addition of garlic
Bánh mì cá mòi, sandwich with sardines
Bánh mì chà bông, with cheese
Bánh mì chả cá, with fish sausage from Nha Trang
Bánh mì chả lụa, with cucumber
Bánh mì chay, vegetarian
Bánh mì gà nướng, with grilled chicken
Bánh mì kẹp kem, ice cream sandwich (between two cookies)
Bánh mì pa-tê, sandwich with pâté
Bánh mì trứng ốp-la, with egg
Bánh mì xá xíu or bánh mì thịt nướng, with marinated and fried pork, sometimes served as a skewer to be inserted into the bread
Bánh mì xíu mại, banh mi with meatball soup
