Banh Mi

Passport & Plate - Vietnamese Pork Roll

Vietnam | Friday, March 6, 2015 | 5 photos

Ingredients
baguette, cut to 6 inch

pattie
200g pork mince
4 chicken livers, chopped
1 bullet chilli, finely chopped
½ tsp ginger, grated
½ clove garlic, grated
½ tsp curry powder
½ bunch coriander, roughly chopped
salt & pepper

sandwich
1 tbs kewpie mayonnaise
1 tbs sriracha chilli sauce
cucumber, thin strips
carrot, thin stripes
spring onion, chopped
coriander, chopped
fresh chilli, chopped

 

How to prepare this recipe
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine mince, liver, coriander, garlic, ginger, chilli, curry powder and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix until well combined and form patties.
2. Over a medium to high heat, lightly oil a griddle pan. Add patties and cook for 2 - 3 minutes on both sides.
3. Take the baguette and fill with pattie and any/all remaining ingredients.

 

The story behind this recipe
Distinctive “Banh mi Vietnam”

The very first thing about “banh mi Vietnam” that amazes foreign travelers is that they can hardly find Vietnamese-style baguette in a shiny shop, in which cakes and fancy Western bread with pretty high price are displayed for sale.

Banh mi Vietnam can be purchased right at the roadside stalls or from the street vendors, in many the alleys of the city or even in the bus terminals and train station. Small freshly hot baguettes are kept warm in the red hot coal brazier; or inside the bamboo basket fully covered with a woolen blanket.

Not only foreigners feel nostalgic when hearing the voices of street vendors resounding on every alley of Hanoi “Crisply hot bread for sale! Crisply hot bread for sale” (Bánh mì nóng giòn nào!) but Vietnamese loves that as well.

“Banh mi Viet Nam” is also special for its diverse tastes. Those who have taken a bite of Vietnamese baguette will never forget the crunchiness of the crust since it is very light, airy and crispy. Bakers making Vietnamese-style baguette does not add butter, shortening or chicken fat. The dough contains only wheat, rice flour and quick-rise yeast. “Banh mi Viet Nam” has a pretty low price, only VND2000-VND3000 per loaf, which answers the question why Vietnamese rarely bake their own bread at home.

Vietnamese baguette is also very versatile, and it can be served any time of the day. Moreover, depending on their personal taste, people can enjoy their Banh mi in their own way: with fried eggs, liver pâté, mayonnaise or even condensed milk. There are many “versions” of “banh mi Viet Nam” that each area has its individually famous kind, which can even stunningly astonish Western travellers coming from the motherland of bread.