The Bánh mì (or Banh Mi) is that typical Vietnamese sandwich that you eat in the streets of Hanoi or Saigon and now in many big cities like Paris or Montreal. It's an example of fusion between the Vietnamese culture and the French culture : A French Baguette with carrots, and other raw vegetables, coriander, some meatballs or paté ....or Tofu for the vegan version and that french Maggi Sauce...which is from Switzerland ! A legacy of colonialism that was kept and upgraded for years by the Vietnamese (with even Vache Qui Rit cheese). I often buy Banh Mi in a shop in Paris : Only a few minutes to be prepared and served with a fresh baguette, pickled grated carrots and a nice and a soft melting tofu. Cheap (3€ in Paris...) and delicious.
I have remembered a fantastic lemongrass fried tofu that I have eaten in Saigon, near Bến Thành market. So the idea is to do it quickly when you have a good french baguette, a piece of tofu, grated carrots. It works even with the worst tofu in France, the one from Bjorg, and with with a pack of prepared grated carrots from your supermarket or convenient store. I don't put piment here but it's often spicy with a special sauce.
If your tofu is very firm and dry, add some waters with the lemongrass. If it's more silky, don't add water, just lemongrass. It works with frozen sliced lemongrass. Put the mix of tofu dices and lemongrass in a small box and put it 1-2 minute in the microwave.
With a half or a third of the baguette, open it on one side to fill it with the ingredients. Some uses mayonnaise but it's not mandatory. Put the cucumber pieces and then the grated carrots (just 2 cm of thickness), and then the warm tofu. And finish with some coriander leaves before pouring Maggi sauce on the mix (not on the bread). That's all...It's better with a fresh and crispy baguette, just a little warm. I tried some variants with glazed tofu or different sauce or dressing for the carrots. You can add other raw vegetables like raddish or slices of vegan (chay in vietnamese) gio, a pork paté from Vietnam. It's up to you.
2Dɛ
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