50 States Sandwich Challenge: Washington

 If you have never heard of a Banh mi, you are really missing out.  What is this strange-sounding sandwich, you ask? It is the product of French colonization in Vietnam, a war of American involvement you may have heard about, and the resulting wave of immigration to the Pacific Northwest.  A true global fusion of native Vietnamese cuisine combined with French condiments and bread turned into American excess.  The word banh mi means "bread," started showing up in Vietnamese literature as early as the 1830s, but really took off when the French introduced the baguette in the 1860s, the start of their imperialism in Vietnam.  Initially, the banh mi was more of a breakfast dish, typically ham and mayo spread on a baguette with pickled vegetables native to Vietnam such as cilantro, carrots, daikon.  It was not until after the Fall of Saigon in 1975, that the banh mi started to gain popularity in the United States, as Vietnamese refugees brought the popular street food with them to Northern California and eventually Washington state.  Le Van Ba and his sons are credited with popularizing the banh mi through their food trucks, Lee's Sandwiches, during the 1980s.  Inspired by other blue-collar American street food sandwiches such as the po'boy of New Orleans, Cuban sandwich of South Florida, and cheesesteak of Philadelphia, the banh mi absolutely belongs in the conversation at the top of the American sandwich cuisine.  Today, you will find the banh mi, a bit more filling, with generous meat portions stuffed with a wide assortment of pickled vegetables with popularity soaring.  As of 2017, banh mi is included in about 2% of all US restaurant sandwich menus, a fivefold increase from 2013.  Seriously, if you've never had one, go find one. 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup shredded carrots

3/4 cup thinly sliced Kirby cucumbers

1/2 cup shredded daikon radish

2 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup mayo

4 tablespoons chopped scallions

3 tablespoons siracha

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 cloves of chopped garlic

1 pound ground pork

2 tablespoons fish sauce (do not sleep on fish sauce it is a staple)

1/2 cup fresh basil

1 teaspoon sugar

Juice of 1/2 lime

Zest of 1 lime

One baguette

Fresh jalapeno, thinly sliced for serving 

1. To make the pickled vegetables: Toss together the carrots, cucumbers, daikon, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.  Do it overnight for maximum effort. 

2, In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, 1 tablespoon scallions, and 2 tablespoons of siracha.  Cover and set aside. 

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add remainder of scallions and garlic. Cook, stirring for one minute.  Add pork and cook breaking up with a fork until no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes.  Stir in 1 tablespoon of sriracha and fish sauce, pepper, salt, and sugar.  Remove from heat and stir in the basil, lime zest, and lime juice.  Let cool 5 minutes, then add mayo mixture from step 2. 

4, Fill bread with pork mixture.  Press jalapeno into the pork.  Spoon pickled vegetables onto the sandwich.