Westernized Bánh mì (Vietnamese Subs)

Several years ago, when my husband worked downtown, he used to go to this crazy little Vietnamese place for lunch all the time, and he raved about their sub sandwiches. Not loving the crazy spicy food, I avoided them until I noticed two restaurants near my office that served these, and both would have lines out the door, even in the dead of winter. I decided to join the masses, and ended up totally hooked on these delicious buns full of satay & vegetables. Now that I'm at home with the kids and my husband no longer works in the downtown core, we set out to figure out how to replicate these subs in our own kitchen, and I think we've come pretty close to the westernized versions that are readily available. It's probably not very authentic, but it's delicious nonetheless!

Westernized Bánh mì (Vietnamese Subs)
Adapted from Chowtown

4 6-8" sub buns
Mayonnaise
Satay beef, chicken or pork
Mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
1/2 of an english cucumber, sliced thin
1/2 a medium onion, sliced thin
Do Chua (pickled carrots & daikon), squeezed in a paper towel to remove excess liquid
Bunch of cilantro
12 fresh red Thai or bird chilis, stems removed
Sriracha hot sauce

Split sub buns and lay open on a baking sheet. Cover bottom portion with satay meat, and cover meat with mozzarella cheese. Place under broiler until bun is toasted and cheese is melty & bubbly.

Spread the top of the bun generously with mayonnaise, and fill with cucumber, onion, do chua, cilantro, and chilis, and finish with a squirt of sriracha. The chilis and sauce are hot, so if you prefer a milder version, feel free to leave them out.

Makes 4 6-8" subs.


Satay Beef, Chicken or Pork

4 tsp peanut oil
1 small onion, finely diced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1" piece of ginger, minced
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup coconut milk
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp sambal oelek
1 pound thinly sliced beef, chicken or pork

Heat 2 tsp oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger and saute until onion begins to brown.

Reduce heat to low, add remaining ingredients and simmer until thick, about 10 minutes. Taste, and add more sambal oelek if you like it spicier. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large pan, heat another 2 tsp oil over medium heat. Add meat and cook until nicely browned. Add satay sauce, reduce heat and let simmer until the sauce is nice and thick. Remove meat from sauce with a slotted spoon and set aside.


Do Chua (Sweet Pickled Carrot & Daikon)

3/4 lb carrots, peeled & trimmed
3/4 lb daikon, peeled & trimmed
1 tsp salt
2 tsp + 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups rice vinegar
1 cup lukewarm water

Cut carrots & daikon into matchstick-sized pieces. Place in a bowl with salt and 2 tsp sugar. Knead gently for 3-4 minutes, until the carrots & daikon begin to release a significant amount of moisture and lose about a quarter of their volume.

Combine 1/2 cup sugar, vinegar and water in a bowl. Stir to dissolve sugar.

Rinse carrot & daikon under cool water in a colander, and gently press out excess moisture. Return to a bowl and pour the vinegar mixture over top. Let marinate a minimum of 1 hour, but this may be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a month.