A symphony of textures and tastes awaits in this iconic Vietnamese street food sandwich, featuring crispy fried shrimp, pickled vegetables, and savory mayo tucked into a fluffy baguette.
Sticky Fried Shrimp Bánh Mì
Author: Chef Nini Nguyen
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cornmeal
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Neutral oil for frying
- 4 Báhn Mì bread or any light, crusty loaves of bread
- Vietnamese Aioli/Bơ to taste (recipe follows)
- Fish-Sauce Caramel to taste (recipe follows)
- 1 lime, quartered
- Pickled Carrot and Daikon (recipe follows)
- 1 English cucumber, cut lengthwise into strips
- ½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 2 jalapeños, sliced
- Soy sauce to serve
- Sambal or Crystal hot sauce to serve
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, and salt. In another medium bowl, combine the egg with the milk, then add all of the shrimp.
- Working in batches, remove the shrimp from the milk mixture, let the excess drip off , and add the shrimp to the bowl with the flour mixture. Toss to coat. Place the shrimp on a plate, and let sit for about 10 minutes, to allow the breading to dry.
- When ready to fry the shrimp, fill a medium-sized pot with about 2 inches of oil, and heat to 360°. Working in batches, add the shrimp to the oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
- Toast the bread and cut it in half lengthwise. Spread aioli on both sides of the bread.
- Top with shrimp, drizzle with Fish-Sauce Caramel, and spritz with lime juice.
- Add Pickled Carrot and Daikon, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeños, and a couple of dashes of soy sauce and/or sambal/hot sauce to taste.
Vietnamese Aioli/Bơ
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1 large garlic clove
- ½ teaspoon fish sauce
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 cup neutral oil
Instructions
- In the bowl of the food processor, add the egg, garlic, fish sauce, salt, and water.
- Pulse to combine, then slowly pour in the oil in a steady stream, blending as you go, until all of the oil gets incorporated, and the aioli is emulsified and creamy. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Fish-Sauce Caramel
Ingredients
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1⁄3 cup hot water
- 2⁄3 cup granulated sugar
- 1⁄3 cup fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons crushed red
- pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add the minced garlic to ⅓ cup of hot water. Let it soak for 5 minutes.
- Heat a small stainless-steel saucepan over high heat and add the sugar. Let it melt and start to turn a faint amber color around the edges, around 30 seconds. Just be careful not to let it burn. You can swirl the pan a bit to help move the sugar around but don’t stir it, which will cause crystallization.
- Once the sugar is melted and just starting to turn color, remove it from the heat and add the garlic-water mixture, fish sauce, and the red pepper flakes. Stir to combine. Place back over high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, until all the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. If any major clumps of sugar remain, remove them with a spoon.
- Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature before using.
- Store any leftover caramel in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 months. Just microwave it for about 10 seconds to loosen it or stir in 1 tablespoon of hot water at a time until you have achieved your desired consistency.
Pickled Carrot and Daikon
Ingredients
- 1 carrot, peeled and julienned
- ¼ daikon, peeled and julienned
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup white vinegar
Instructions
- Place the carrots and daikon in a bowl. In a small saucepot set over high heat, add sugar, salt, and ⅓ cup water.
- Bring to a boil, then add vinegar. Pour this brine over the bowl of vegetables, toss to combine, and let cool at room temperature.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
