Why Banh Mi is the best sandwich EVER!

Due to formalities I'll have to brief you on what you probably already know - what Banh Mi is. Inspired by the French baguette, the Vietnamese Banh Mi is the ultimate sandwich often found at street food vendors selling for $1.50 wrapped in an outdated piece of newspaper. You may find them for around $6 at Vietnamese restaurants in the West, packed with classic ingredients like pâté, pickled vegetables, mayonnaise, cucumber, cilantro, and jalapeño alongside a protein of choice. It sounds so plain and simple, but the combination is what makes this one of the most addictive snacks on the planet. Don't believe me?

The shell - Banh Mi bread

Oh now that I know the basic ingredients inside a typical banh mi, I can just go to the store and grab a random demi-baguette and make it happen, right?

Wrong! Banh Mi literally translates to "bread" in Vietnamese, so the key factor that makes a Banh Mi what it is - is unquestionably the bread. Most bread or baguettes sold at the store are very dense and doughy, often with either a soft exterior or rock hard from being left out too long. Those are the complete opposite of what you need in a Banh Mi shell!

The distinctive feature of the Banh Mi bread is the hollow interior with a slightly flaky exterior. The airy interior leaves space for all the fillings so the bread-to-filling ratio is perfectly balanced. Your bite wouldn't be a mouthful of dough but instead, a satisfying mix of barely enough carbs to soak in the flavors of the proteins and sauces. The crusty exterior provides an exciting contrast to textures of the fillings inside, which are often soft meat or chewy vegetables. Needless to say, the bread is the foundation that defines the Banh Mi.

Pâté

Ah, Pâté - you feel fancier just saying the word. Pâté really highlights the French influence in this Vietnamese dish, as it is not quite a common daily ingredient in Western cuisines. This rich, fatty, salty, and sweet liver spread coats one side of the Banh Mi inner bread, acting as a savory meaty glue that the fillings can grasp onto. I may be picky but from what I've observed in authentic Vietnamese Banh Mi, the liver spread is smooth and fine, without chunks, without gunky livery taste - all factors contributing to the success of this unique baguette.

Mayonnaise

Isn’t Hellmann's mayonnaise good enough? Oh wait- I guess Kewpie mayo will do?

No! Hellmann's mayo is too light and thin, while Kewpie mayo is too rich and thick. While most Western mayonnaise brands use both egg whites and yolk, Japanese ones use just mostly egg yolks which gives it the bright yellow color and richer taste. The mayonnaise used in Banh Mi sits right in between. With just egg (yolk and white), oil, some lime and salt (and maybe a dash of the forbidden fruit - MSG), the off-brand (often homemade) Banh Mi mayo is the perfect light, airy creaminess that bonds the other half of the bread to its ingredients.

Pickled vegetables

You will see this everywhere - the orange and white strips glistening on the side of many Vietnamese dishes, including in our dear Banh Mi. Who would have thought that with just vinegar, sugar, salt, carrot, and daikon (or sometimes kohlrabi), you could make such a wonderful side dish? Unlike regular cucumber pickles sold at the store, the Vietnamese pickles have a milder sourness and sweeter aftertaste from the carrot's natural flavors. The long thin strips provide a gentle crunch and texture contrast, mellowing out the fatty taste from the pâté and meat. Plus, they are way more colorful and catchier than regular pickles!

Aside from all these simple yet unique ingredients formulating the Banh Mi indulgence, let's not forget the fresh add-ons that counter all the intense flavors: fresh cilantro, thinly sliced cucumber strips, and for the spicy lovers - jalapeños! Cilantro adds the fresh herby slightly citrusy tang, cucumbers add moisture and a blandness to mellow out the richness, and who could forget the spiciness from jalapeños that kicks your taste buds to next level?! To add some moisture and flavors to the bread, vendors often sprinkle a dash of soy sauce (or Maggi seasoning infused with MSG for the OG players)…and voila! Banh Mi - a combination of savory, sweet, light, rich, creamy, airy, fresh and meaty sandwich is born.