Vegan Banh Mi with Char Siu Tofu
I can't claim that these sandwiches are authentic, but I can tell you for sure that they're delicious -- and that I already want another one. If I'd had the space and wherewithal to title them really good banh mi-ish sandwiches with really good char siu-ish tofu, that would've been the perfect title.
Calories: 363kcal
Ingredients
For the pickled vegetables
- 2 medium carrots cut into matchsticks
- 1 Persian cucumber or ½ English cucumber seeded and cut into matchsticks
- 1 small daikon cut into matchsticks, or 8 radishes, sliced
- ½ small red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup seasoned rice vinegar
For the char siu tofu
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon five spice powder
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons neutral high-heat oil such as safflower, divided
- 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 package extra-firm tofu cut into 12 slices
For the sandwiches
- 2 hoagie rolls about 12 inches each, each cut into two portions
- Mayo vegan if you care
- Sriracha
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Jalapeño slices fresh or pickled
Instructions
For the pickled vegetables:
- Place the cut vegetables into a shallow bowl.
- Pour the ½ cup vinegar overtop and stir to coat.
- Let sit until ready to assemble sandwiches, stirring occasionally.
- Before using, drain off excess vinegar.
For the char siu tofu:
- In a 9x13-inch baking dish, whisk together the garlic, five spice powder, brown sugar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon of the oil and the 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
- Dry the tofu slices as well as possible by pressing lightly with your hands between thick layers of paper towels.
- Add tofu slices to baking dish in a single layer and turn to coat top and bottom of all slices completely with marinade.
- Let sit for 10 minutes.
- In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high. Add the tofu slices in a single layer and cook undisturbed until beginning to char on the underside, then flip and do the same for the other side. Remove to a plate.
- Pour any remaining marinade into pan and cook, stirring, for less than a minute, until thickened slightly. Pour over tofu slices.
For the sandwiches:
- Lightly toast the rolls, then split each one lengthwise down the middle, leaving the bottom intact so the roll can open like a book.
- Spread a generous amount of mayo onto each of the inside faces. Tuck in three slices of tofu and a generous serving of pickled vegetables. Drizzle with sriracha and top with plenty of cilantro leaves and jalapeño slices to taste. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- I've tried to give an indication of how much produce you should buy, but really you want to end up with about 1 ½ to 2 cups total of matchsticked veggies. Half a cup each of carrots, cucumber and daikon would be ideal, but this isn't something to stress about. Whatever you have will be delicious.
- I can’t always find daikon in our local stores, but I don’t let that stop me from making these sandwiches.You can slice a few red radishes or just leave it out.
- If you don't have seasoned rice vinegar, stir together ½ cup plain rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon mirin (great if you have it, but don't stress if not) and 1 tablespoon fine sea salt. Heat it up in the microwave or in a small pot until the salt and sugar have dissolved, then let cool to room temperature before pouring over the vegetables.
- Real banh mi is all about the bread. If you can get legit Vietnamese banh mi rolls, go for it. Otherwise, the key is to find whatever rolls you can that can get a little crisp on the outside with a light toasting but are kind of medium-shitty and soft on the inside. In New Jersey this means run of the mill “sub” or “hoagie” rolls. You can also use sections of baguette.
Nutrition
Calories: 363kcal | Carbohydrates: 35.7g | Protein: 11.8g | Fat: 18.7g | Fiber: 5.4g