Banh Mi

Ingredients

• 1 x daikon radish
• 2 x carrot
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 dl water
• 1 dl rice vinegar
• 1 thumb ginger
• 400 g pork shoulder
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp char siu sauce
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp five spice
• 1 clove garlic
• 8 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 x cucumber
• 2 x thai chili
• 1 handful fresh coriander
• 4 x small baguettes

Method

1. Start with the pickled vegetables: Cut the daikon radishes and carrots into matchstick pieces, and stir in the salt. Marinate for 10 min and rinse off any remaining liquid. Put the sugar in a jam glass and add 1 dl of boiling water, rice vinegar and about 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger. Add the vegetables and let them marinate for at least 30 minutes, but preferably overnight.
2. Then make the marinade for the meat: Mix soy sauce, sesame oil, *Char Siu, fish sauce, honey, fivespice, 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger and finely chopped garlic in a bowl, and mix in pork neck cut into strips. Marinate the meat for at least 10 minutes, and fry it for 3-5 minutes until the meat is well browned and slightly caramelised. *Char Siu is an Asian bbq sauce. (I use the brand Lee Kum Kee.) If you can't get hold of this, you can replace it with hoisin sauce, or 1 extra tablespoon of honey.
3. Spread a layer of mayonnaise on both sides of the baguettes and stuff it with meat, cucumber slices, pickled vegetables, a little (or a lot) Thai chili and lots of cilantro. I also usually put on some Maggi seasoning (authentic banh mi topping reminiscent of soy sauce) but this is not a must!