How to prepare the Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwich

Banh Mi is a type of sandwich prepared in the style of Vietnamese cuisine.

The base is a baguette, which arrived in Vietnam during the period of French colonial rule. The Vietnamese version differs from the original with the use of rice flour.

The fresh bread is sliced lengthwise to create a pocket for the filling. This is typically made up of slices of grilled meat (usually pork, but chicken or fish is also used), pickled vegetables (daikon radish, carrot), fresh cucumber slices, chili pepper, and coriander leaves. The filling may also include rousong (meat cooked and shredded into fibers, then toasted dry) or Vietnamese Gio Lua sausage. For flavoring, mayonnaise, soy sauce, or chili sauce (Tuong Ot) is often added. In Vietnam, banh mi is sold as street food mainly for breakfast, with each small vendor having their own unique recipe.

With Vietnamese immigrants, this dish spread worldwide, particularly popular in North America (e.g., Lee's Sandwiches).