2 posts tagged “banh mi”

Sometimes vegans have no idea what they’re missing. Case in point: the Vietnamese hoagie. Anyone who has tried one will tell you of the near religious experience it brings along with the dichotomies of sweet and salty, hot and cool, tender and crisp.

Maybe it was crazy for me to think I could replicate this at home; crazier still to think I could substitute delicious pork with a texturized vegetable protein. But judging from the reaction of vegans and nonvegans alike the first-ever vegan bánh mì knit night was a total success. It was so good we almost forgot to knit.

mise en place

ingredients:

1 daikon radish
3 carrots
2 C water
1 C white vinegar
1 C sugar
2 French baguettes
1 English cucumber
3 jalapeños
bunch of cilantro
2 packages Smart BBQ
1 package Smart bologna or other fake meat bologna
Asian chili garlic hot sauce
Nayonaise

Directions: Cut the daikon and carrot into julienne strips. Combine water, sugar and vinegar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Transfer to a bowl, add daikon and carrots, and refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight.

Prepare cucumber and jalapeño into slices. Separate cilantro into sprigs. Heat up veggie BBQ on stovetop. Cut each baguette into quarters, crisp in 400° oven. Assemble and enjoy!

vegan bánh mì

1 comment

Serves 8.

Pinkberry combo du jour... wait for it... Plain with blackberry + yogurt chips. 

Banh mi in the Bee Kay.  I had some business to attend to in the 'Slope over the weekend and so I thought it would be a perfect time to do some outer borough banh mi traipsing.  I decided to check out Ba Xuyen after hearing from several sources that it could deliver the goods.  And had tables inside... very important to an uptown girl like myself, who cannot bear the thought of a long subway ride on a very cold day just to find somewhere to sit and chow the freak down on a Vietnamese hoagie.  Also, they tend to be a bit on the messy side.  Or I tend to be on the messy side.  Whichever.

So it begins.  I trekked out to Sunset Park on the D line.  I had never been to that 'hood before so it was interesting.  I'm always amazed by the palpable differences in neighborhoods in this city, each one has a totally unique je ne sais quoi all the while staying totally New Yorktastic.  Or New Yorktarded.  Especially working in the library, I only ever feel exposed to three out of five boros (actually two as I've never been to Staten Island, shock!!!)

Anyway the banh mi at Ba Xuyen was pretty fab.  Lots and lots of veggies, if that's your thing; also lots and lots of meat (I had a #1).  After a while the meat started to gross me out though.  I think it was the ham.  In my second-to-last bite I got a chunk of something hard in there, like cartilage.  Let me apologize to any vegans who might be reading this, I had no idea that was possible.  In fact I was really turned off.  Next time I would probably get BBQ only. But in reality I will probably stick to the Manhattan banh mi (Vietnam Banh Mi So #1 or Saigon Banh Mi).  Maybe I will go back if I am ever again in the neighborhood or if I am with an attractive hipster dude who wants me to take him out on the town in Brooklyn, because of course that's where all the attractive hipster dudes live.  And for $3 you can't really complain about some stray cartilage.  Overall I'm glad I tried Ba Xuyen, it was a nice way to waste a Sunday.

Tonight I made this fabolous gorgonzola cauliflower soup.  It was really simple and efficiently tasty.  Except I was a little concerned about the cheese: it was well within the "Purchase by" realm of existence but had a gooey texture and a faintly ammonia smell.  I rationalized it by telling myself that it is actually dolce gorg, a creamier variety.  Plus I have eaten way ammonia-ier brie wedges (with gusto) in my day.  But it brings up an interesting quandary: How do you know when stinky, moldy-ass cheese has taken a TURN for the WORSE?  Where do you draw that line?  The soup turned out pretty good and delightfully funky, great for dunking into with some crusty bread.

And for the record, I'd just like to second the goodness of dates 'n' tahini.  Try it you will like it.