A cookbook devoted to the beloved Vietnamese sandwich, with 50 recipes ranging from classic fillings to innovative modern combinations.'The Banh Mi Handbook': A Guide To A Viet-French Sandwich - An NPR review by Karen Grigsby Bates
Created by Vietnamese street vendors a century or so ago, banh mi is a twist on the French snack of pâté and bread that is as brilliant as it is addictive to eat. Who can resist the combination of crisp baguette, succulent filling, and toppings like tangy daikon and carrot pickles, thin chile slices, refreshing cucumber strips, and pungent cilantro sprigs? You’ll have ample opportunities to customize your sandwich with filling options such as grilled pork, roast chicken, and “the special”—a delectable combination of garlicky pork, liver pâté, and Vietnamese cold-cuts. (From Amazon)
Banh mi is the culinary love child of two distinct civilizations, the Viet and the French. The French became the colonial power in Vietnam and while the country's citizens could argue about whether there was any benefit to French political oversight, they did agree that the baguette was a happy legacy from that time. There are regional variations: banh mi in the Communist north tended to be simple — maybe some meat, salt and pepper between bread that was crispy on the outside, with a delicate interior.
"In the south," Nguyen laughs, "they lived large like they do in the south here. So a lot of stuff was added — fresh herbs, vegetables, pickles — and the protein could be anything. Chicken, meat, seafood, even pate."
Vegetarians could go all-veggie, or add tofu flavored with aromatics.
The result, Nguyen says, is "a party in your mouth!"
