Banh Mi

We are about to head out of the country for an extended period of time, so I figured it might be worth getting one more post up on the blog before we go! We'll be doing a short-term study abroad trip in South Africa and will primarily be staying in the Cape Town region, though we will take excursions to other surrounding places. We're hoping to get some cooking experience while there and obviously plan to blog about that when we return (not that we've been super up to date on our blogging...oops). We'll also be getting to try some famous South African wine, which we're looking forward too, though that's probably more of a Megan than Will thing that we'll be doing. We also are planning to visit lots of historic sites and at least one animal rehab center, as well as getting to see the famous South African penguins. And before you even ask, no we are not planning to go shark diving!


But before we leave, I did want to make sure to share this Banh Mi recipe with you. I picked this one out and decided that for the most part, I'd be making it on my own for Will, as the end of his semester was amping up. I also wanted to try and make it because while it's not overly difficult, it includes a few more steps than I'm accustomed to. It also involved a bit of prep time, if you're like me and couldn't find/didn't want to buy the pickled veggies. All said and done, this recipe was the perfect challenge for me and I'm pretty sure Will was impressed that I pulled it together on my own - the only area he insisted on managing was the toasting of the bread, which was fine by me! This is a great alternative to getting banh mi out or if you don't have a good banh mi place or food truck locally. We would definitely make this again!

Cooking Notes: We didn't use daikon or cucumber - just pickled carrots and jalapeño. I used more rice vinegar than the recipe called for to do the pickling, in order to fill the jar. I had to use a lot of soy sauce for tofu marinade because I cut pieces too small (when Will made it again, he made bigger pieces and it worked much better)

Banh Mi (adapted from Love and Lemons; serves 4)
Pickled Veggies

2-3 small carrots, sliced in matchsticks
1/2 jalapeño, thinly sliced
1/2 cup+ rice vinegar
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
A pinch of sugar
A pinch of salt
Marinaded Tofu
1 14-oz. package extra firm tofu
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 lime, juiced + a little zest
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp minced ginger
Fresh cracked pepper
Construction
Olive oil, for pan
Fresh baguette, sliced into sandwich portions
Mayo
Cilantro
Sriracha

Prepare in advance: Place thinly sliced carrots and jalapeños in a small Mason jar with white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, sugar and salt. If the liquids don't cover the veggies, add 2 tbsp of water and more vinegar as needed. Let chill overnight in fridge.

Once veggies are prepared, begin to make the sandwiches! Drain the tofu, slice into 1/2" pieces, then pat with a towel to remove excess water. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, soy sauce, lime, zest, garlic, ginger and fresh cracked pepper. Place the tofu in a shallow pan and pour the marinade on top. Flip the tofu so it coats (adding soy sauce as needed, to coat), then let it marinate for at least 15 minutes.

When tofu is done marinading, heat a nonstick skillet to medium-high heat. Add a little oil to the pan and place the tofu pieces with enough space between that they're not too crowded (cook in batches). Let the tofu cook for a few minutes per side until they're deeply golden brown and caramelized around the edges. Remove from heat, taste test, and add more S&P if necessary.

After all the tofu is cooked, it's time to assemble the sandwiches. Toast the bread (if desired), then build sandwich by spread mayo on both sides of the bread, placing on tofu slices, pickled veggies, cilantro and topping with sriracha. Enjoy!

Recipe: Love and Lemons: Seared Tofu Banh Mi Sandwiches