serves
4
prep
20 minutes
cook
10 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
4
people
preparation
20
minutes
cooking
10
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
These tacos are what I playfully dub bánh mì tacos — bánh mì being the specialty sandwich of Vietnam. I grew up on the cultural classic and fondly remember my mother slipping a homemade bánh mì in my lunchbox every morning for years. Later on, it became my mission through college to find bánh mì as savory, juicy, and crisp as the ones I remembered from my childhood. Now that I live in California, where Vietnamese cuisine is abundant, authentic bánh mì is tied with another regional staple: Mexican food. These tacos bring the two together.
Ingredients
For the pickles (see Note)
- ¼ lb (113 g) carrots, cut into 2-inch matchsticks
- ¼ lb (113 g) daikon, cut into 2-inch matchsticks
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) white vinegar
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) water
- 1½ tbsp sugar
For the marinated pork
- ¼ cup (60 ml) toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
- 1½ tbspfish sauce
- 3 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 medium shallots, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 680 g pork shoulder, thinly sliced into 1-inch-wide (2-cm-wide) strips
For the tacos
- 12 (5-inch/12-cm) tortillas, warmed
- 1 bunch coriander (cilantro), chopped
- 1 medium cucumber, cut into 3-inch spears
- 3 jalapeño or serrano peppers, thinly sliced
- Mayonnaise or sriracha aioli
Pickle Standing time: 30 minutes, Chilling time: one day to 2 weeks
Marinating time: 2-24 hours
Instructions
At home, Make the pickles at least 1 day before serving them (or you can buy them – see Note). In a colander, toss the carrots and daikon with the salt and let drain in a sink for about 30 minutes. Shake them up periodically to expel as much liquid as possible.
Meanwhile, stir the vinegar, water, and sugar in a small bowl until the sugar is dissolved.
Rinse the carrots and daikon under running water to remove excess salt, then transfer to a lidded container. Pour the brine over the vegetables and chill for up to 2 weeks.
To marinate the pork, combine the oil, sugar, fish sauce, pepper, shallots, and garlic in a large bowl. Add the pork and toss to coat thoroughly. Transfer the pork and marinade to a resealable plastic bag, squeeze out the excess air, and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
In Camp, prepare a grill over medium heat.
Thread the pork onto skewers and grill until charred and caramelized all over, 6 to 8 minutes, turning frequently.Transfer the pork to a cutting board and chop into bite-size pieces.
Stage a taco bar by arranging the pork, pickled carrots and daikon, tortillas, cilantro, cucumber, jalapeños, and mayonnaise on a table, and let guests assemble their own tacos.
Note
• Carrot and daikon pickles are know as Đồ Chua and can be found in most Vietnamese or Chinese markets, already prepared.
• If you’re finding it difficult to slice the pork shoulder, freeze it slightly to firm up the meat. Alternatively, you can ask your butcher to cut the slab into ¼-inch (6-mm) slices.
Recipe from by Linda Ly, photographs by Will Taylor (Voyageur Press/Quarto Group, hb, $29.99). Read more of Linda's camping tips, fire building instructions and recipes .
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
These tacos are what I playfully dub bánh mì tacos — bánh mì being the specialty sandwich of Vietnam. I grew up on the cultural classic and fondly remember my mother slipping a homemade bánh mì in my lunchbox every morning for years. Later on, it became my mission through college to find bánh mì as savory, juicy, and crisp as the ones I remembered from my childhood. Now that I live in California, where Vietnamese cuisine is abundant, authentic bánh mì is tied with another regional staple: Mexican food. These tacos bring the two together.
