Vietnamese Pork Meatball Banh Mi
Servings: 8
Ingredients
Meatball Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground pork
- 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
- 2 finely chopped green onions
- 2 stalks lemon grass pale section, bruised & finely chopped
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp chili garlic sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
The Sauce
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
- 2 tsp chili garlic sauce
- pinch sea salt
The Toppings
- Butter Lettuce
- 2 carrots julienned
- 2 radishes julienned
- 1/2 cup cucumber shredded or thinly sliced lengthwise
- 1 jalapeno sliced thin
- 1 red Thai chili pepper sliced thin
- cilantro fresh sprigs
- 2 limes sliced into wedges
- 2 baguettes
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- Cooked vermicelli noodles If making lettuce cups
Instructions
Make the meatballs
- In a bowl mix together pork, basil, mint, green onions, lemongrass, fish sauce, 2 tbsp chili garlic sauce, sugar, ginger, salt and pepper. Once combined set back in fridge.
Make the Sauce
- Mix the mayonnaise, lime zest and juice, cilantro, 2 tsp chili garlic sauce and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Set back in refrigerator until ready to use.
Cook the meatballs
- Take your pork mixture and roll your meatballs into 1 inch balls or roughly the size of a walnut.
- Heat 1 tbsp of the sesame oil in a large cast iron or non stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook half the meatballs, turning often, for 5-9 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Set aside on a parchment lined baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you cook the second batch of meatballs in the remaining 1 tbsp of sesame oil.
Pre the veg
- In individual bowls add your carrots, radish, cucumber, jalapeno and red thai chili peppers, cilantro sprigs and lime wedges.
- Cut your baguettes lengthwise without cutting all the way through, and then into 4 equal pieces.
- Once they are all cooked start preparing your sandwich.
Make the sandwich
- On each piece of baguette slather on some spicy mayonnaise. Add a few pieces of butter lettuce, 3-4 meatballs, a sprinkle of carrots, radish and cucumber. Top with cilantro, hot peppers and a squeeze of fresh lime.
The lettuce cup
- To eat as a lettuce cup, use medium size pieces of butter lettuce, add some vermicelli noodles, carrots, radish, cucumber, cilantro and hot peppers. You can add a small dollop of the mayonnaise if you wish and fresh lime juice.
- Put all the ingredients on the table allowing everyone to add more.