Vietnamese Hoagies

Wow. You may not change one thing about this recipe. Unless you can't find a daikon radish in which case a regular one would suffice. I am madly in love with this dish. I was so excited when I saw this and it didn't disappoint. It's a Vietnamese Banh Mi which is basically a hoagie. Um, two of my favorite things combined?! I love a good sandwich hoagie (which is why Danny's Market is my favorite place back home) and I have a soft spot for almost any type of Asian cuisine. 

Anyway, don't be intimidated by the list of ingredients! It's really not a lot and it's totally work it. I was skeptical of pickling the veggies but they added a nice sweetness to the sandwich to balance out the spicy mayo and jalapenos. Plus it was super easy: pickle veggies, leave for work, come home and bam! We all know I'm a sucker for Sriracha mayo and it was perfect for this dish. The meatballs were divine and reminded me of the filling from some dumplings I've had. Good flavor and sauteing them in the sesame oil adds a little something special.

Pork Meatball Banh Mi

(From Bon Appetit)

Ingredients:
Hot Chili Mayo
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)
Meatballs
1 pound ground pork
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Pickled Veggies
2 cups coarsely grated carrots
2 cups coarsely grated peeled daikon radish (or other radish)
1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Sandwiches
1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
4 10-inch-long individual baguettes
Thinly sliced jalapeño chiles
16 large fresh cilantro sprigs
Directions:

1. Pickle your veggies an hour in advance. Mix together rice vinegar and sugar. Pour over the carrots and daikon. I kept mine separate so the daikon didn't turn orange. Let them sit at least an hour and then drain the juice.

2. Make your hot chili mayo by combining mayo, hot chili sauce, and green onions. Season with salt to taste.
3. Meatball time! Gently mix all meatball ingredients together, do not over mix! Roll mixture into small one inch meatballs (about a tablespoon of meat), set aside on a tray. These can be made one day ahead and refrigerated.
4. Heat sesame oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Saute meatballs until brown and cooked through, turning often, about 10-15 minutes. You may have to make them in batches depending on the size of your pan.
5. Slice each baguette and pull out some bread from each half. Spread chili mayo on each side. Add jalapenos and cilantro to bottom half. Fill will desired amount of meatballs and top with pickled veggies. Press down the baguette tops and enjoy!

The Condiments!

Spicy Mayo, Daikon, Carrot, Jalapeno, and Cilantro