Yield: 4- 6 sandwiches
Ingredients:
Grilled pork:
- 2 stalks lemongrass, white core thinly sliced, plus 2 stalks to use as skewers
- ½ small yellow onion, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 inch (2 cm) piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1 red Thai chili, seeded and chopped
- 3 scallions, whites only, chopped
- ¼ cup (60 ml) honey
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) light soy sauce
- 1 pound (454 g) boneless pork butt, sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, for grilling
Banh Mi:
- 1 cup (240 ml) shredded carrots
- 1 cup (240 ml) shredded daikon
- 1 cup (240 ml) white vinegar
- ½ cup (120 ml) water
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml) sugar
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) salt
- Baguette, sliced into 4-inch (10 cm) sections and cut as an opened sandwich
- 8 tablespoons (90 ml) Asian mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Maggi seasoning sauce
- Grilled Pork
Garnish:
- Cilantro leaves, sliced chives, sliced red hot peppers
Method:
For the Grilled Pork:
In a food processor, combine the sliced lemongrass, onion, garlic, ginger, chili, scallions, honey, fish sauce, and dark and light soy sauce. Purée to a smooth paste.
Rub the paste into the pork, cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.
Trim the 2 extra lemongrass stalks, cutting off tender parts and sharpening the ends. Thread the marinated pork onto the stalks.
Brush the skewers with oil and place onto the grill. Cook them 2-3 minutes per each of the 4 sides, flipping often, until fully cooked.
Remove from grill and let rest, loosely covered, for 5-8 minutes.
For the Banh Mi:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the sugar, salt, and vinegar slightly, just to dissolve. Cool the mixture, then combine with the carrots and daikon. Let rest.
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and Maggi sauce and stir until uniform in colour and texture.
To Serve:
Spread a bit of the Maggi-mayo mixture onto both sides of a sliced baguette.
Add a portion of the grilled pork (off the skewer), top with the carrot-daikon mixture, and garnish with cilantro, chives, and red chilies.