Street foods are served in many forms and iterations with influence from convenience, history, and cultural tastes. On bustling streets in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi, Vietnam, there will be a wide array of snacks and dishes available, one of the most common being
the bánh mì.
Bánh mì sandwiches have their roots steeped in Vietnamese cuisine and ingredients with a European, specifically French, influence. The ingredient tying everything together is a light, airy and crisp baguette. The baguette is split lengthwise and filled with savory ingredients including grilled meats, sausage, cilantro, pickled daikon radish, and much more.
The word ‘bánh mì’ translates literally to “bread” and the baguette-style wheat bread was introduced by the French during the age of imperialism in the 19th century. Bánh mì was convenient yet filling and was sold outside of the country, such as in Vietnamese communities in France.
The sandwiches were eventually brought to the United States by Vietnamese immigrants in the late 1950s, especially Northern California. Their popularity in the states was boosted from influence on other sandwiches, such as in New Orleans, LA, a Vietnamese Po’boy sandwich or a Philadelphia, PA, a Vietnamese Hoagie.
The sandwiches have a natural appeal because it’s something familiar to most of us with flavors and ingredients that may not be as widely known.
In this iteration, the char-grilled pork is swapped out for marinated Golden Oyster mushrooms. These porous mushrooms, mild by themselves, are amazing at absorbing other flavors, especially ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. A small amount of vinegar helps break down the mushroom so it condenses with the marinade for a chicken-like texture and an amazing flavor when cooked on a hot grill.
Golden Oyster mushrooms grow in layered, non-uniformed clumps with golden fronds. Originally native to subtropical hardwood forests of eastern Russia, Northern China, and Japan, they have always been a popular culinary mushroom for cultivation. Their name comes from their oyster-shaped cap and bright yellow color.
Oyster mushroom substrate is known to degrade groundwater pollutants such as oil spills, wastewater, pesticides, and PCP (a wood preservative) and mineralize the pollutants so they will return to the air as ammonia, carbon dioxide, chlorine, or water. Sustainable and delicious! If Golden Oyster mushrooms aren’t available,blue oyster,
white oyster, or even shiitake caps would make a good substitute.
When the marinated mushrooms cook on a hot grill they will start to char as the sugar in the marinade caramelizes. This created an amazingly sweet, savory, and smoky flavor that the mushrooms hold onto, turning them into almost a completely different food! You’ll be amazed to see taste the similarities to a grilled chicken breast.
Another important ingredient in the sandwich is pickled carrots and daikon, bringing a delicious crunch and acidity to
the sandwich.
We are pretty much copying our Pickle Anything! Guide when it comes to these pickled vegetables, so be sure to check out that recipe if you’re looking for more information!
Other toppings for bánh mì include mayo or liver pate, to moisten the bread bring everything together. We opted for vegan mayo to keep everything plant-based! Sliced cucumber brings a cooling crunch to some of the spicier elements in the sandwich and cilantro leaves and stems bring a fresh herbaceous flavor.
We hope you’ll enjoy making these sandwiches and all the great flavors that come with them. Try the grilled mushrooms on other dishes such as rice bowls or noodles. You won’t even realize they’re vegan!
Grilled Golden Oyster Mushroom Banh Mi
One bite of these Vietnamese-inspired and vegan sandwiches and you’ll wish you doubled the recipe! Marinated and grilled mushrooms take on an incredible texture and smoky char, then sandwiched with pickled vegetables, cilantro, and spicy mayo.
Great collaboration with RI Mushroom Co!
Recipe and Photography by Sam Burgess
RI Mushroom Co.
Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6, 6” sandwiches (plus 1 quart of pickles)
Ingredients:
1 cup very hot water
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 cup white vinegar
8 ounces carrots, matchstick sliced
8 ounces daikon radish, matchstick sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed, to taste
1 tablespoon chili flakes (optional, for a spicy pickle)
Grilled Golden Oyster Mushrooms
1 pound RI Mushroom Co. Golden Oyster mushrooms, broken into large pieces
2 tablespoons grated garlic (4-6 cloves)
1 tablespoon grated ginger (1-inch piece)
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Sriracha (or another fermented hot sauce)
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Non-stick grill spray
Sandwich Garnishes
1 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Sriracha (or another fermented hot sauce)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 each cucumber, cut into matchsticks
3, 12” baguette rolls, sliced
⅔ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
Directions:
PREP BRINE. In a quart-sized glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine hot water, sugar, and kosher salt. Cover, and shake well until everything is dissolved. Add the vinegar along with crushed garlic and chili flakes.
BRINE PICKLES. Use your Forge To Table knife to slice carrots and daikon radish into julienne or small matchsticks. Add the vegetables to the brine, fitting as much as possible into the jar. Ensure everything is submerged, adding a splash of water if needed. Brine pickles in the fridge at least 4 hours before using. They will last for weeks in the fridge!
PREP MARINADE. Prepare RI Mushroom Co Golden Oyster Mushrooms by slicing them into large 2-ounce pieces. In a gallon-sized bag, combine grated garlic, grated ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, vegetable oil, Sriracha, and white vinegar. Mix well to combine.
MARINATE MUSHROOMS. Place Golden Oyster mushroom pieces in the bag, close the bag with plenty of air, and shake well to evenly coat mushrooms. The mushrooms should shrink immediately, and squeeze out as much air as possible before placing in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 1 hour.
PREP GARNISHES. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine vegan mayonnaise, sriracha, and lime juice. Mix to combine, season with salt, if necessary, and set aside. Prepare cucumber and cilantro and set aside.
GRILL. Preheat the grill on high. Once hot, spray grill grates with nonstick spray and use tongs to place the mushroom pieces onto the hot grill. Cook until lightly charred on the edges and soft in the middle, flipping and cooking on the other side, about 3-4 minutes per side. Use any remaining marinade in the bag to glaze the mushrooms as they cook. Place finished mushrooms on a plate and reserve. Carefully toast the baguettes on the hot grill until lightly marked, about 1-2 minutes.
ASSEMBLE. Spread some spicy vegan mayo on both sides of the baguette and top with the grilled Golden Oyster mushrooms (tear or slice into smaller pieces to fit in the bread), some drained pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber matchsticks, cilantro, and finally the top of the bread. Slice in half into 6” sandwiches and enjoy immediately!
Chef’s Notes:
If the Golden Oyster Mushrooms are broken up into small pieces already, skewer with small wooden skewers before grilling to prevent falling down the grates. Alternatively, place a cooling rack upside down for a grill surface so they will not fall through.
Add more or less spice with the amount of Sriracha added.
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