Weeknight Banh Mi Sandwich

Ingredients

• [Pickled carrot and daikon] 150g daikon, shredded
• [Pickled carrot and daikon] 150g carrot, shredded
• [Pickled carrot and daikon] 200g water
• [Pickled carrot and daikon] 100g rice vinegar
• [Pickled carrot and daikon] 100g white vinegar
• [Pickled carrot and daikon] 40g sugar
• [Pickled carrot and daikon] 4g salt
• [Pork meatballs] 900g ground pork
• [Pork meatballs] 10g salt
• [Pork meatballs] 25g sugar
• [Pork meatballs] 5g black pepper
• [Pork meatballs] 10g cornflour
• [Pork meatballs] 60g fish sauce
• [Pork meatballs] 30g garlic, grated or minced
• [Pork meatballs] 30g fresh ginger, grated
• [Pork meatballs] 60g shallot, finely minced
• [Pork meatballs] 20g basil, minced
• [Nuoc cham] 120g water
• [Nuoc cham] 45g fish sauce
• [Nuoc cham] 25g sugar
• [Nuoc cham] Juice of 1 lime, about 25g
• [Nuoc cham] 10g garlic, minced
• [Nuoc cham] 10g sambal
• [Assembly] 1 English cucumber, cut into thin planks
• [Assembly] 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
• [Assembly] Fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• [Assembly] 4 baguettes or hoagie rolls
• [Assembly] Mayonnaise

Method

1. [Pickles] Bring the water, both vinegars, sugar and salt to a boil. Add the shredded daikon and carrot, submerge them, remove from the heat and cool.
2. [Meatballs] Heat the oven to 245°C/475°F. Mix all meatball ingredients thoroughly.
3. [Meatballs] Form roughly 55g/2oz balls and arrange at least 2.5cm apart on a parchment-lined tray.
4. [Meatballs] Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the centres reach at least 74°C/165°F.
5. [Nuoc cham] Stir all sauce ingredients together until the sugar dissolves.
6. [Assembly] Warm the baguettes in the hot oven for about 2 minutes, until crisp outside.
7. [Assembly] Split each baguette without cutting through the hinge. Spread mayonnaise inside.
8. [Assembly] Add halved meatballs, drained carrot-daikon pickle, cucumber, jalapeño and coriander. Finish with nuoc cham.