There are a handful of items that I can eat once a week and not get sick of, bánh mì being one of them! If you’re not familiar with bánh mì, it means bread in Vietnamese and is a term used to refer to a popular sandwich that is typically filled with a variety of meats, pickled daikon & carrots, cha lua or Vietnamese ham, pâté, cucumbers, cilantro and mayo (optional Sriracha and jalapeno).
The best spots for bánh mì in New York City have got to be, hands down, Ba Xuyen in Sunset Park and Banh Mi Saigon in Lower Manhattan. I used to live in these neighborhoods and have visited both establishments countless times for their bánh mì, still dropping by to pick up a few sandwiches to bring back to my suburban home. I also frequent JoJu in Elmhurst, Queens, whom I’d give the runner up spot to!
The purpose of this blog post isn’t to highlight the best spots for bánh mì, although that would be a great idea, wouldn’t it? I wanted to first introduce this sandwich, then share with you my recipe for Do Chua, or Vietnamese pickled daikon and carrots, which is an absolute NECESSITY in bánh mì. I prefer my Vietnamese sandwiches LOADED with do chua. Believe it or not, I also pickle these vegetables at home, leaving jars & jars of them in my fridge, for snacking and adding some color, tang and textures in my homemade Vietnamese dishes.
I use an amazing peeler by OXO to julienne my daikon and carrots. For a demonstration and review of this tool, please check out my YouTube video below. If you prefer, you may use a mandolin slicer or food processor to julienne your vegetables. While it may be more time consuming, you may also manually cut/slice them using a knife. Prior to purchasing this OXO julienne peeler (and a food processor), I would cut my vegetables by hand or use packaged matchstick carrots. This peeler has saved me LOTS of time and effort and is by far, one of the best purchases I have ever made.
In the meantime, check out my Do Chua recipe! Leave me feedback below if you’ve tried the recipe and make sure you tag me @rackoflam & #rackoflam on social media and subscribe to my YouTube channel.
Do Chua (Vietnamese Pickled Daikon & Carrots) Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 g daikon radish cut into matchsticks
- 250 g carrots cut into matchsticks
- 1 tbsp salt
PICKLING SOLUTION
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup white distilled vinegar
- ½ cup boiling water
- 1 cup room temperature water
Instructions
- Sprinkle and toss precut daikon and carrots with 1 tbsp salt. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, run the daikon and carrots under cold water and rinse very thoroughly. Drain water with a colander or strainer and squeeze excess water out with paper towel.
- In a separate bowl, combine sugar with boiling water and mix until sugar is completely dissolved. Add vinegar and mix thoroughly.
- Place daikon and carrots into a large sterile jar. Pour in the pickling solution, then add 1 cup of room temperature water (or slightly more) until the vegetables are completely submerged.
- Allow to pickle for 3-5 days, then enjoy!
Video
Notes
INGREDIENTS USED/RECOMMENDED:
- Florida Crystals Natural Cane Sugar – https://amzn.to/2WZK6tq
- Distilled Vinegar – https://amzn.to/3s4e4tS
- Kirkland Sea Salt – https://amzn.to/2XqjzFY
EQUIPMENT/TOOLS USED IN VIDEO:
- OXO Julienne Peeler – https://amzn.to/3s463oM
- OXO Swivel Peeler – https://amzn.to/3bjyAQx
- Gorilla Cutting Boards – https://amzn.to/2KSyG8p
- Mesh Sieves – https://amzn.to/3bobmu9
- OXO Good Grips 9-Inch Locking Tongs – https://amzn.to/3occmVy
- Chopsticks – https://amzn.to/3u8i5iD
- iPhone 11 Pro Max – https://amzn.to/3qh4ylL
