Most types of Vietnamese meat rolls (banh mi thit) are classified under the umbrella of street food and are easily found in your local Asian bakery. However, there's one version you'll only find in Vietnamese households.
Like the humble ham or deli meat sandwich, banh mi cha lua can be fixed in a moment and enjoyed on any given day. Forget about the pickled carrots, mayo and pate, all you need is a crusty Vietnamese bread roll lined with spreadable butter, sliced Vietnamese ham (cha lua), cucumber, coriander (optional) and most importantly, a few lashings of Maggi seasoning.
My first memories of banh mi cha lua are of mum sending me to school with them tightly packed in cling wrap. Even though they'd be crumpled by the time I took them out of my backpack at recess or lunch, they still wouldn't last longer than a few minutes.
Till this day, I prefer a banh mi cha lua over a ham sandwich.
Vietnamese ham roll (banh mi cha lua)
Cha lua is a pork loaf sausage wrapped in banana leaves, it's easily found at Asian supermarkets. Source: Duncan Lu
Serves 4
Grab:
- 4 plain Vietnamese bread rolls
Cut rolls lengthways and line each roll with:
- 1 tbsp spreadable butter or margarine
- 60 g cha lua (Vietnamese ham), sliced 1 cm thick
- 1 cucumber, sliced lengthways
- Coriander leaves, to taste
Season each with:
- Pinch sea salt
- Pinch cracked pepper
- 1 tbsp Maggi seasoning or soy sauce
Duncan Lu loves a good banh mi cha lua. Source: Duncan Lu
VIETNAMESE FOOD
Comfort calls for Vietnamese chicken congee (chao ga)
