My first Bánh Mì sandwich was a shift meal while working at Claim 52 Kitchen, a hip little brewery/restaurant in downtown Eugene. On my first day of work, I actually had to ask how it was pronounced; that’s how unfamiliar I was with the Vietnamese sandwich.
It was over a year before before there was a vegetarian option and the moment it went on the menu, I ordered one. I’d heard diners rave about it for so long but I wasn’t sure if it would be my jam. Oh, it was my jam all right; it was love at first bite! It exceeded my expectations in ways I couldn’t imagine.
How had I never tried this sandwich before and why wasn’t it more popular in general? I wanted one every time I worked a shift, raving about it to customers and coworkers alike. I seriously couldn’t get this sandwich out of my head, I was hooked. I had to start making them at home immediately.
What’s a Bánh Mì?
A spicy Vietnamese sandwich, Bánh Mì translates as “bread.” Traditionally served on a short baguette baked made with rice and wheat flour, the sandwich is filled with a savory cooked protein, pickled veggies and peppers, then topped with cilantro and a simple mayo spread.
I love a nice chipotle garlic aioli so I’ve included the recipe for what I make, but plain mayo is actually the traditional way to serve this sandwich.
I don’t always find daikon radishes to add to the pickled veggie mix, another traditional topping, but I don’t feel like I miss it. If you’ve got it, add it!
What’s the best bread to use?
Nothing too soft, otherwise it will be soggy right out of the gate! The Bánh Mì is traditionally served on short baguettes, but I just explore the bakery section and choose whichever baguette looks most appealing. Medium firmness, flakey on the outside and soft on the inside works best for me. Then I cut it down into smaller sandwiches.
Is the soy in tofu bad for you?
No. Unless you have an allergy. But I know that’s not your question.
I was under the impression that the phytoestrogens in soy was rocket fuel for breast cancer but I can’t pinpoint when and where I got this information. Can you? I had such a negative conception towards soy that I avoided it at all costs.
“Playing with fire,” I’d think to myself, shaking my head and passing by a soy product at the grocery store. Where did this thinking stem from? No one bats an eye when you reach for a handful of almonds, an apple, or eat a bowl of strawberries in a single sitting — yet those all have phytoestrogens, too.
Here’s what happened: in the 70s and 80s, studies on breast cancer and soy were done by using mice. Breast cancer cells were grafted on the rodents and they were fed a diet full of soy. The breast cancer cells grew. Assumptions were made that phytoestrogens must fuel breast cancer growth in humans as well. Decades go by and this information becomes engrained in society.
Studies on actual humans weren’t done until 2009. And what happened? Since we aren’t mice, it turns out that humans metabolize soy much differently than mice do. Not a single study on humans and soy intake showed cancer growth with soy consumption. In fact, the studies only showed beneficial effects1 including a lowered risk of breast cancer occurrence, recocurrence, and death!
I find this topic delightfully intriguing and if you’d like to learn more, check out my post:
Pickled Veggies? Is that a lot of work?
Nope! Don’t let that intimidate you. I do a “quick-pickled” method so it’s not a big ordeal. You can toss the veggies in the rice vinegar mix the night before or as little as 1 hour before starting to cook!
Bánh Mì With Savory Tofu
Ingredients
Quick-Pickled Veggies
- 2 Carrots (cut into matchsticks)
- 1 Cucumber (sliced into rounds)
- ¼ of a Red Onion (sliced into rounds)
- ½-1 Jalapeño sliced into rounds and deseeded
- ½ cup Rice Vinegar
- ½ tsp Sugar
- ¼ tsp Salt
Tofu
- 1 package Extra Firm Tofu
- 1 Tbsp Tamari or Liquid Aminos or sub Soy Sauce
- 1 ½ tsp Toasted sesame oil
- 2 tsp Garlic Chili Sauce or Sriracha
- ½ tsp Ground ginger
- ½ tsp Garlic powder
Chipotle Garlic Aioli (or use plain vegan mayo)
- 2 Tbsp Vegan mayo
- 1 Garlic clove minced
- 2-3 tsp Sriracha
- ½ tsp Lime juice
For Serving
- Fresh baguette Not too dense; quality bread that’s flakey on the outside and soft on the inside
- Kale chopped or thinly sliced
- Cilantro and/or fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Quick-pickled veggies: Prep the night before or up to 1 hour prior to making sandwiches. Place everything under “Quick-picked veggies” in a medium-large sized container and cover with a sealing lid. Turn container upside down several times to mix everything together and then place in fridge until you’re ready to make the sandwiches. Give the container a gentle shake from time to time.
- Tofu: Pat tofu dry with a clean kitchen towel. Cut tofu in three large slabs lengthwise, then cut again in thirds so you have thin and wide pieces of tofu. Place tofu in a large skillet. In a small bowl, stir together all ingredients in the “tofu” section and pour over tofu, using a spoon to evenly coat. Cook on medium heat, flipping halfway through, until tofu is lightly browned.
- Spicy garlic aioli: In a small bowl, combine vegan mayo, minced garlic, sriracha, and lime juice. Add anything more to-taste.
- Cut baguette into sandwich-sized sections and toast very lightly. Spread spicy garlic aioli (or plain vegan mayo) on toasted bread and assemble sandwiches with tofu, pickled veggies, kale, and cilantro (or basil). Enjoy!
Did you enjoy this tofu Bánh Mì Mì? I’d love to hear! Leave me a comment below! 🙂
