Vietnamese bánh mì has become very popular beyond the shores of Vietnam. Normally packed with animal-derived products, this vegetarian banh mi (bánh mì chay) incorporates a delicious nutty quinoa patty as well as the usual pickled vegetables, cucumber, and cilantro.
The flavours and textures of Vietnamese bánh mì are… delectable! There are many variations, but pretty much all involve meat. Even bánh mì trung (bánh mì made with 1 or 2 fried eggs) has a smear of pâté. As a flexitarian, I am minimising my consumption of meat, especially beef. So the challenge was to create a vegetarian bánh mì – bánh mì chay – that retains the textures and flavours of the classic recipe.
I enlisted a quinoa patty to deliver the substance – the “meatiness”. The quinoa delivered its characteristic nutty flavour and chewy texture. Some vegetables contributed more flavour, though most came from the umami-packed shiitake mushrooms. Eggs and flour were enlisted to hold everything together. Bánh mì chay, vegetarian banh mi, was a reality.
You might like to read some more about the origins and variations of the world’s best sandwich. Simon Stanley’s beautifully illustrated article does just that…
“Chili!” says the elderly Vietnamese lady, ushering me closer. She seems eager to help and apparently already knows what I want. Taking one of the pre-made sandwiches from the counter, she slips off its paper wrapping to reveal the short, golden bun inside. Its crackled crust is splayed to demonstrate its contents. After two years …” continue reading
Vegetarian banh mi (banh mi chay) – with a mushroom quinoa patty
Ingredients
- 6 baguettes
Quinoa Patty
- 4 medium carrots
- 4 medium parsnips
- 250 g shitake mushrooms
- 2 large red peppers
- 1 onion
- 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa I used red quinoa
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup self raising flower
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Black garlic mayo “Pâté”
- 4 cloves black garlic
- 4 Tbsp mayonaise
Pickled Daikon and Carrot
- 2 medium carrots julienned
- 2 medium daikon julienned (use radishes if you cannot get daikon)
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup warm water
Other garnishes
- 1 bunch of coriander
- 1 cucumber
- 1 cup Radish sprouts
Instructions
Quinoa Patty
- Wash the mushrooms, remove stalks then slice.
- Stir fry the the mushrooms until any moisture has evaporated
- Peel the carrots and parsnips and grate.
- Whisk the eggs and self raising flour and set aside in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or so.
- Trim and finely dice the red peppers.
- Finely dice the onion.
- Squeeze any remaining moisture out of the grated zucchini, carrot, and parsnip.
- In a large bowl, gently combine grated vegetables, red peppers, onion, quinoa, egg mixture, and salt.
- Form into patties of a size suitable for the baguettes
- Brown on both sides.
Black garlic mayo “Pâté”
- Mash 4 cloves of black garlic. Mix with 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise.
Pickled Daikon and Carrot
- Add the julienned carrots and daikon to a bowl and sprinkle a tsp salt and a tsp sugar over them. Mix around until well coated. Allow to sit for 20 minutes.
- Discard the liquid that has collected in the bowl, and rinse the vegetable under running water. Squeeze to remove remaining moisture.
- Before returning the vegetables to the bowl, combine the sugar, vinegar, and water, and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the drained vegetables to the brine in the bowl and allow to marinate for at least one hour before using. Will keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator.
Other garnishes
- Wash the coriander and remove stalks
- Cut the cucumber into long strips
Vietnamese breakfast sandwich (bánh mì trứng)
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