Bánh Mì Thịt Nướng (Grilled Pork Bánh Mì)

Method

1. Start with the đồ chua (pickled carrot and daikon). Cut the carrot and daikon into matchsticks 5 cm long and 3 mm thick, sprinkle with the salt and rub for about 5 minutes until they bend without snapping. Rinse once and squeeze dry. Dissolve the sugar in the warm water, stir in the rice vinegar and submerge the vegetables for at least 30 minutes.

   Add in this stepCarrot 80 gDaikon radish 80 gSalt ½ tspSugar (for the pickles) 1½ tbspWarm water 50 mlRice vinegar 50 ml

2. Slice the pork 3 mm thick (20 minutes in the freezer makes this much easier). Finely mince the tender pale lower part of the lemongrass, plus the garlic and shallot. Mix them in a bowl with the fish sauce, sugar, pepper and marinade oil, massage the mixture into the pork and leave it for at least 30 minutes.

   Add in this stepPork shoulder (or collar) 240 gLemongrass stalk 1Garlic cloves 2Shallot (or a little onion) 1Fish sauce 3 tspSugar 2 tspGround black pepper ½ tspOil (for the marinade) 2 tsp

3. Heat the frying oil in a 26 cm frying pan over medium-high heat, lay the pork in a single layer and cook for 4 min, flipping halfway. It is ready when the edges are deep brown and caramelised and no pink remains inside. ×2 next to the size means cook in two batches.

   Add in this stepOil (for frying) 1 tbsp

   medium-high heat

4. Heat the oven to 200°C and warm the baguettes for 3 min, until the crust sounds crisp when you tap it. A toaster oven works just as well.

   Add in this stepLight, airy baguette (about 20 cm) 2

   oven

5. Cut each baguette along one side without slicing all the way through and pull out a little of the soft crumb to make room. Spread pâté on one side and mayonnaise on the other, then add a few drops of soy sauce. Fill with the pork, cucumber cut into long strips, drained pickles, cilantro and sliced chili, and eat straight away.

   Add in this stepPork liver pâté 40 gMayonnaise 2 tbspSoy sauce 1 tspCucumber 60 gCilantro sprigs 6Bird's eye chili 1