Evidence of French colonial rule is scattered all over Vietnam, particularly in its cuisine. French influence can be found in the use of coffee, butter, roasting, and beef. However, the way these ingredients are used in Vietnamese dishes make them unique, such as serving coffee with sweetened condensed milk and stir-frying beef with soy and fish sauces.
Baguettes are also widely available in Vietnam, but they are different from the ones found in France. Vietnamese baguettes are crispy and light, and often filled with a combination of savory, sweet, spicy, and herbal flavors. This gives birth to the iconic bahn mi sandwich, which offers a delightful contrast of textures – crunchy and chewy.
In our simplified weeknight version of the bahn mi sandwich, we use quick-cooking skirt steak to save time. The addition of quick-pickled shredded carrots and fresh cilantro adds a burst of freshness, while the spicy spread made with Sriracha hot sauce and mayonnaise provides a creamy and fiery kick.
The best choice of bread for this sandwich would be a supermarket baguette or French rolls with a light and airy crumb, and a thin and brittle crust. It’s also possible to add some thin slices of jalapeño chilies for an extra kick, or even smear some pork or chicken paté for more variety.
Vietnamese skirt steak sandwiches
Start to finish: 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
¾ cup white vinegar
¼ cup white sugar
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded (1 cup)
1 pound skirt steak, cut crosswise into 3- to 4-inch pieces, patted dry
⅓ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Sriracha
Four 7- to 8-inch French bread rolls (see note), split horizontally
½ English cucumber, sliced into ⅛-inch-thick rounds
1 cup cilantro sprigs
Directions:
In a medium bowl, stir together the vinegar, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir in the carrots and set aside. Heat the broiler to high with one rack 4 inches from the element and another in the middle. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
Season the steak on both sides with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Place in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and Sriracha; set aside. Pull out some of the interior crumb of each piece of bread; the remaining crust and crumb should be about ¾ inch thick. Set aside.
Broil the steak until the center of the thickest piece reaches 125°F for medium-rare or 130°F for medium, 3 to 5 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Turn off the broiler, transfer the steak to a plate and tent with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, arrange the bread halves cut sides down on the now-empty baking sheet; it’s fine if they overlap a bit. Place in the oven on the middle rack and heat until the bread is warm, about 5 minutes. Strain the carrots.
Spread the cut sides of the bread evenly with the mayonnaise. Cut the steak against the grain on the bias into thin slices. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Evenly divide the steak and any accumulated juices among the bottom halves of the bread, then top with the carrots, cucumber slices and cilantro. Top with the remaining bread.
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