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Lemongrass tofu banh mi
Bánh mì chay: crackly baguette with lemongrass tofu, quick pickles, cucumber and herbs
Bánh mì is Saigon's favourite street food: an airy, thin-crusted baguette split and stuffed with pickled carrot and daikon (đồ chua), cucumber, coriander and chilli. At vegetarian stalls near the city's pagodas the meat is swapped for sticky, caramelised lemongrass tofu, as in this version. Eat it for breakfast or lunch, warm, with a glass of iced coffee. Chef's tip: warm the baguette in a hot oven until the crust crackles when you squeeze it, and pull out a little of the soft crumb, so every bite is crisp shell, juicy filling and herbs in balance.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For the quick pickles (đồ chua)
For the lemongrass tofu
To assemble
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Toss 1 carrot and 3 ½ oz daikon (white radish) with ½ tsp salt and leave for 5 minutes, then squeeze out the liquid; this keeps them crunchy. Stir 2 tbsp sugar into 4 tbsp rice vinegar or white vinegar and 4 tbsp warm water until dissolved, pour over the vegetables and leave for at least 15 minutes while you cook.
5 minStep 2: Mix 2 stalks lemongrass, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp brown sugar and ½ tsp black pepper in a shallow dish. Lay in 10 ½ oz firm tofu, turn to coat and leave for 10 minutes. Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan) for the bread.
Step 3: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Lift the tofu out of the marinade and fry for 3 minutes a side until deep golden. Pour in the leftover marinade for the last minute and turn the slices until it bubbles and turns sticky; take care, as the sugar can catch.
7 minStep 4: Put 2 light, crusty baguettes straight on the oven shelf for 3–4 minutes, until the crust crackles when pressed. Split along one side, leaving a hinge, and pull out a little of the soft crumb.
4 minStep 5: Spread the insides with 2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise and shake over a few drops of 1 tsp Maggi seasoning or soy sauce. Fill with the warm tofu, a good pinch of drained pickles, ½ cucumber, 1 handful fresh coriander, 1 red chilli and 1 spring onion. Press closed and eat straight away, while the bread still crackles.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lemongrass tofu banh mi take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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