Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi Recipes

Steps:

• Pickled Cucumber and Carrot: Mix the rice vinegar, sugar and sea salt in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to the boil until the sugar dissolved and let cool to room temperature. Place the carrot, cucumber and chilies in a mixing bowl and add in the sugar and vinegar mixture. Chill for about 20 minutes before serving.
• Sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients to mix. Set aside.
• Spicy Lemongrass Chicken: Season the chicken thighs with sea salt and black pepper. Heat a large cast-iron pan over high heat and add 1 tablespoon of peanut oil.
• Add the chicken and fry both side until golden brown. Turn the heat to medium and mix in the sauce, press down the chicken meat with a spatula and continue to cook until the sauce thickens and becomes caramelized. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly before slicing.
• Sandwich: Lightly toast the baguettes and fill with chicken slices with its sauce, pickled vegetables, green chili and assorted herbs. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Make the kebabs: Combine the garlic, shallot, ginger, lemongrass and cilantro in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the lime zest and juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and vegetable oil and process until a coarse paste forms. Put the chicken in a large bowl and add the ginger paste; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the pickled vegetables: Bring the vinegar, 1/4 cup water, the sugar and 1 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar and salt dissolve. Let cool slightly. Combine the carrots and cucumber in a small bowl and pour the brine over the top; press the vegetables to submerge. Refrigerate until chilled, 1 to 4 hours. Drain, then stir in the cilantro.
• Make the spicy mayonnaise: Stir the mayonnaise, lime zest and juice and Sriracha in a small bowl; season with salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Preheat a grill to medium. Drain the chicken, brushing off any large pieces of the ginger paste. Thread the chicken, daikon and jalapeños onto ten 12-inch skewers. Season with salt.
• Brush the grill grates with vegetable oil. Grill the kebabs, turning often, until the chicken is cooked through and well-marked, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove to a platter and sprinkle with cilantro and Thai basil. Serve in baguettes with the pickled vegetables, spicy mayonnaise and lime wedges.

Steps:

• Make the pickled vegetables: Set a large colander in a large bowl. Add the carrots and daikon to the colander. Toss with the salt, then add just enough water to cover the vegetables, about 6 cups (1.4 L). Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Lift the colander out of the soaking liquid, then rinse the vegetables well. Shake the colander a few times to allow any excess water to drain away. Let the vegetables sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to dry out a bit.
• Add the sugar and vinegar to the bowl with the vegetables. Season to taste with more salt, if needed. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.
• Make the lemongrass pork: Trim the bottoms and green tops from the lemongrass stalks. Slice the light parts in half lengthwise, then remove any tough outer layers. Mince and transfer to a medium bowl.
• Finely chop the onion and add to the bowl with the lemongrass.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, wine, and pepper.
• Add the sliced pork butt to the marinade and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, up to 4 hours.
• Heat the canola oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and lemongrass and cook until the onion is tender and beginning to brown, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, remove the pork from the marinade, letting any excess liquid to drip off, then grill the pork until lightly charred on both sides and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces and transfer to a large bowl. Add the lemongrass and onion mixture and stir to combine.
• To assemble, slice the toasted French rolls in half lengthwise almost all the way through, leaving a long end intact. Slather the bottom of the rolls with a generous amount of mayonnaise, then spread on a layer of pâté. Top with the pork mixture, cucumber, sliced onion, jalapeño, the pickled vegetables, and cilantro.
• Close the sandwiches and serve.
• Enjoy!