I love Vietnamese food! I love the use of fresh ingredients that provides lots of texture, flavor, and nutrition. Lately I've been craving Banh Mi, which is a Vietnamese sandwich characterized by delicious pickled veggies and topped with fresh cilantro and jalapeño slices. It's spicy and crunchy and soooo good. Here's my take on it:
Vegetarian Banh Mi Sandwich
Makes one sandwich
Ingredients:
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tsp. honey
1/2-1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 cup shredded or thinly sliced daikon radish (a mild winter radish often used in Asian cuisine)
1/4 cup shredded or thinly sliced carrot
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
6-inches of a French baguette, sliced in half lengthwise and lightly toasted in the oven
Spicy Mayo (mayo or Veganeise mixed with sriracha until desired spice is met)
Protein of choice (I fried up some marinated tofu, but want to try grilled tempeh next time)
Sprouts, optional
Fresh cilantro, to taste
Fresh jalapeño, sliced thin, to taste
Directions:
1. Combine vinegar, honey, and red pepper flakes. Add daikon radish, carrots, and red onion and marinate for 15-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain, squeezing out excess liquid, and set aside.
2. Apply spicy mayo to both sides of the baguette.
3. Assemble sandwich by adding the pickled daikon, carrots, and red onion, the protein, sprouts, fresh cilantro, and jalapeño. Enjoy!
Tips for working with tofu:
Tofu can absorb marinades and flavors much better when the water it's been soaking in is pressed out of it. What you do is take a clean cloth and wrap your tofu in it. Put it on a plate and cover with a cast iron skillet or something else heavy and leave for at least 30 minutes. Now your tofu is ready to soak up any flavor you wish.
