Name: Lemongrass pork banh mi
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped; 2 small red chillies, thinly sliced; 2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, thinly sliced; 60 ml fish sauce (¼ cup); 40 gm grated light palm sugar; 800 gm piece of skinless pork neck, cut lengthways into 6cm-thick pieces; For drizzling: vegetable oil; 8 fluffy white rolls, halved; 200 gm good-quality pâté; To serve: Vietnamese mint, coriander and baby cos leaves; Pickled carrot; 100 ml rice vinegar; 50 gm caster sugar; 1 tbsp fish sauce; ½ small red chilli, finely chopped; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; 1 carrot, cut into julienne; 1 red shallot, thinly sliced; Lime and chilli mayonnaise; 2 egg yolks; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; 1 small red chilli, finely chopped, or to taste; 2 tbsp rice vinegar; 350 ml olive oil; Finely grated rind and juice of 2 limes, or to taste

Lemongrass pork banh mi

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for Lemongrass pork banh mi

Serves 8

Prep

45M

Cook

30M

Total

1H 15M

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

2 small red chillies, thinly sliced

2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, thinly sliced

60 ml fish sauce (¼ cup)

40 gm grated light palm sugar

800 gm piece of skinless pork neck, cut lengthways into 6cm-thick pieces

For drizzling: vegetable oil

8 fluffy white rolls, halved

200 gm good-quality pâté

To serve: Vietnamese mint, coriander and baby cos leaves

Pickled carrot

100 ml rice vinegar

50 gm caster sugar

1 tbsp fish sauce

½ small red chilli, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 carrot, cut into julienne

1 red shallot, thinly sliced

Lime and chilli mayonnaise

2 egg yolks

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 small red chilli, finely chopped, or to taste

2 tbsp rice vinegar

350 ml olive oil

Finely grated rind and juice of 2 limes, or to taste

Method

Main

1.Pound garlic, chilli and lemongrass to a coarse paste in a mortar and pestle, transfer to a large bowl, add fish sauce and sugar, and stir to dissolve sugar. Add pork, turn to coat, cover and refrigerate, turning in marinade occasionally, until well-flavoured (overnight).

2.Meanwhile, for pickled carrot, stir vinegar, sugar, fish sauce, chilli and garlic in a saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil. Add carrot and shallot, transfer to a non-reactive container and refrigerate overnight.

3. Meanwhile, for lime and chilli mayonnaise, process yolks, garlic, chilli and vinegar in a food processor to combine, then with motor running, gradually add oil in a thin steady stream until thick and incorporated. Stir in lime rind and juice, season to taste and refrigerate until required.

4.Preheat a barbecue or char-grill pan to medium-high heat. Drain pork (reserve marinade), drizzle with a little oil and barbecue, turning occasionally and basting with marinade, until browned and just cooked through (20-25 minutes). Transfer to a tray and rest for 10 minutes, then thickly slice across the grain.

5.To serve, spread roll bases with pâté, top with sliced pork, pickled carrot, herbs and lettuce. Spread roll tops with lime and chilli mayonnaise, sandwich and serve.