Crispy pork banh mi

Banh mi recipe

Banh mi has become a beloved sandwich in Australia, thanks to the Vietnamese-owned bakeries dotted around the major cities. So what is banh mi exactly? It is a sub sandwich that uses Vietnamese baguette, which looks similar to a French baguette but has a thinner and crispier crust while being softer inside. The French introduced their baguette to Vietnam in the late 1800s, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that two North Vietnamese migrants opened one of the first banh mi stalls ever, after they were forced to move to South Vietnam.

Thirty years later, Australia got their chance to taste it when Vietnamese migrants opened their bakeries here. To make it, the baguette is sliced in half lengthwise, smeared with mayo and pâté, and filled with pickled carrots and radish, coriander, spring onion, cucumber and a protein of your choice. The most popular protein is Vietnamese cold cuts. Other favourites include roast chicken, barbeque pork, crispy roast pork and Vietnamese meatballs.

Vegetables to add to a Vietnamese banh mi

The classic vegetables and herbs used to create the distinct flavour and aroma of this Vietnamese sandwich include pickled carrots, pickled radish, cucumber, coriander and spring onion. The spring onion and cucumber are sliced into long spears, and the coriander is kept in its original length and form. If you enjoy heat, you can also add sliced red chillies to the roll.

The pickled vegetables are always shredded into long, noodle-like strands. To make banh mi pickled carrots, peel your carrots first and cut them into matchsticks, or use a shredder that will cut your carrots into long thin strands. Stir together 60ml of rice wine vinegar and 55g of caster sugar until the sugar dissolves completely. Add the carrots into the pickling solution and set aside for at least 20 mins to soak. You can also do this for the pickled radish.

If you want to prep your pickled vegetables in advance, put the vegetables and pickling solution into a sterilised glass jar, close the jar, and put it into the fridge overnight. It can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week. Sterilise the glass jar before use by washing it first in hot soapy water, rinsing it, then placing the jars and lids on a baking tray in a 120°C oven (100°C fan-forced) for 20 mins.

The best protein fillings for a banh mi roll

Vietnamese cold cuts are the most common protein filling. These usually include cold meat terrine, cured pork and a light pink Vietnamese pork sausage called ‘cha lua’. You can source these from a Vietnamese deli.

If you would like to use another type of protein for your homemade banh mi, you can make a chicken banh mi, pork banh mi or meatball banh mi using roast chicken, barbeque pork (Vietnamese or Chinese variety is best), Vietnamese grilled pork, roast pork or Vietnamese pork meatballs.

For this recipe, roast pork is used. Save yourself time and buy the ready-to-eat pork roast from the shops. Instead of simply slicing this up, you want to prep the pork in a way that maximises the enjoyment and ease of eating each bite of the banh mi sandwich. Do this by separating the crackling from the meat and breaking this into bite-sized pieces, then thinly slicing the pork.

How to assemble your banh mi ingredients

A freshly baked French stick (another name for French baguette) is your best option if you’re unable to source Vietnamese baguettes. You’re wanting a bread that is crusty on the outside and pillowy on the inside to give the banh mi its signature texture.

Once you’re ready to add your pickled vegetables, take a generous portion out of the pickling solution. Then, grab a large serrated knife to cut the French stick into 4 even pieces. Halve each piece lengthways without cutting all the way through.

Use a butter knife to spread a generous amount of mayo on one of the cut sides of bread and pâté on the other cut side. Add a good amount of pickled carrots, spring onion, coriander and cucumber first, using your tongs or fingers to pack these in nicely. Top with pork and crackling and voilà, it’s ready for you to get stuck in.

Now get cooking

With this recipe and tips, you now know how to make banh mi at home, so go ahead and do it! You’ll be glad you did when you get to tuck into this flavourful sandwich. You may want to learn how to make other variations of this banh mi roll recipe with these recipes for Vietnamese-style chicken banh mi, Courtney Roulston’s Christmas ham banh mi, banh mi chicken bites and chicken schnitzel banh mi. Keen to make more recipes featuring Vietnamese flavours? Try Vietnamese-style pork with slaw, Vietnamese-style spring roll salad, spicy pork noodle bowl, easy chicken pho, quick beef pho or Vietnamese-style chicken noodle soup. For other types of gourmet sandwiches, check out the Reuben sandwich, speedy chorizo sandwiches and Curtis Stone’s steak sandwiches with caramelised onions.