Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Bahn Mi

Bahn Mi are a Vietnamese sandwich, typically served on a baguette with various Asian condiments and vegetables. They are an interesting blend of east and west, a hold over from the French colonial era. Since I went to undergrad near so many Vietnamese restaurants, I got a craving for Bahn Mi this week, so we made our own!

First step: Baguettes. I make my own (this is my third go round at this), and let me tell you, there are few kitchen items as satisfying as fresh baked baguettes, mostly because they involve so many steps and so much time. You can also buy these to save time, but I recommend trying to bake your own.

Pickled carrots and daikon radish are a key condiment for Bahn Mi. To make these, boil 1/2 cup of rice vinegar with a couple teaspoons of sugar and a dash of water (you can add more sugar if you want them sweeter). Let this mixture cool, then marinate the carrots and daikon (and whatever else you would like to be vinegary) for at least half an hour.

Other toppings? Some form of mayonnaise is usually applied to the inside of the bread before the other condiments. I added a dash of curry powder and galangal to ours to create a spicy mayo.

After spreading with mayo, add your pickled vegetables, other veggies (such as bell peppers), jalapeno peppers (amount depends on your taste), and whatever protein you like. Bahn Mi typically come with chicken or tofu. Fried egg, our choice, is also delicious. Stuff the sandwich with cilantro to your liking and you're all set!
A look at the inside of my sandwich, with curried mayo, orange bell pepper, pickled carrots and dikon, cilantro, and a fried egg








Monday, January 7, 2013

Brussel Sprouts!

...inspire fear in most people. I don't think I've personally ever had them, but for Christmas Eve we made Alton Brown's Brussel Sprouts with Walnuts and Cranberries.


 REALLY easy to make. You shred the brussel sprouts (I just chopped them but you can use a mandolin or food processors). Toast the nuts in the pan (dry), add three tablespoons of butter and melt it, then toss in the brussel sprouts and cook a few minutes until bright green and soft. Then you just turn off the heat and stir in a generous amount of dried cranberries.


Simple, and incredibly delicious. AND seasonally colorful with the green and red.