Banh Mi lunches! (Ingredient prep – assemble on demand)

by HarveysBackupAccount

4 Comments

  1. HarveysBackupAccount

    Not authentic but it’s in the ballpark. Toppings:

    * Thai grilled pork shoulder
    * Chinese braised beef shank
    * Grilled zucchini slices
    * Sliced fresh cucumber and jalapeno
    * Chopped cilantro
    * Mayo

    **Bread:** Take’n’bake baguette from the supermarket. Baked them yesterday, and will heat up each one in a toaster oven at lunch time

    **Beef** – *based on the recipe for beef with biang biang noodles, from Woks of Life*

    Cut 1.5 lbs of beef shank into 1″ (2cm) thick slices, salt, and [brown in a Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Work in batches if you have to](https://imgur.com/a/IitCXBT). With all the meat in the pot add:

    * 2 Tbsp tomato paste
    * 2 cloves minced garlic
    * 5 slices of fresh ginger, 1/8″ (3mm) thick
    * 2 Tbsp Chinese spicy black bean paste
    * 1 star anise
    * 1 tsp cumin seeds
    * 1 tsp fennel seeds

    Stir to coat all the meat then, before the pot smokes too much, deglaze with 2 Tbsp each Shaoxing cooking wine, soy sauce, and mirin. Then add 4 c (1L) water, bring to a boil, reduce to a light simmer and cover. Cook until the meat is fork tender.

    **Pork** – *based on the grilled pork neck recipe, from Pok Pok*

    Make the marinade:

    * 1 large clove garlic, minced
    * 2 tsp sugar
    * 2 Tbsp Thai “seasoning sauce” (soy sauce if you don’t have it)
    * 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

    Slice 1 lb of pork shoulder into 1/2″ thick steaks and coat with the marinade in a bowl. Put in the fridge for up to 1 hr and prep a charcoal grill for high heat. Grill the pork until [nicely browned on both sides and cooked through, let it cool a bit, then thinly slice](https://imgur.com/a/dvr3SuV).