Pork Meatball Banh Mi Inspired Sandwich

About 8 years ago I lived 2 blocks away from this little deli that made the most AMAZING smoked tri-tip sandwiches. The first time that I ordered the tri-tip sandwich I requested cheese and the man working the counter said, “Oh no, no cheese on this sandwich. It will ruin it. Try it one time without cheese and if you don’t like it you can get cheese next time.” Reluctantly I said ok. See, I LOVE cheese – I mean really, really love it. I can’t remember a time I said, “No cheese please” when ordering food, yet I can remember requesting extra cheese on more than a few occasions. Ok, so back to the tri-tip sandwich… the guy was right, it was amazing without cheese, cheese probably would have ruined it. Since that day I have probably consumed close to fifty of those sandwiches – not one with cheese.

To my dismay, not every sandwich is better with cheese, some are better without it. Which brings us to the Banh Mi Inspired Meatball Sandwich…

I found this sandwich recipe while on my quest for the perfect pork meatball recipe. It is a common sandwich in Vietnam called a Banh Mi. Banh Mi is a sandwich served on baguette-style bread filled with meat, pickled carrots, daikon (white radish), jalapenos, cilantro and mayonnaise. My version is Banh Mi Inspired because my grocer was out of baguette bread, I substituted with Bolillos. This sandwich is packed with wonderful flavor and a kick of heat – it includes a carrot & radish slaw, hot chili mayonnaise, jalapenos and no cheese. Sorry cheese, I will get ya on the next sandwich. :) This recipe also calls for Vietnamese Pork Meatballs, which I just posted the recipe for on Monday. Enjoy!

Hot Chili Mayonnaise

Ingredients
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (I used Sriracha)
2 green onions, finely chopped

Directions
1. Mix all together
2. Let marinade in refrigerator for at least a couple hours

Carrot & Radish Slaw

Ingredients
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup grated radish (I used regular red radishes since I could not find daikon)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
 ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients
2. Let marinade in refrigerator for at least an hour, mixing 2-3 times. Drain

Pork Meatball Banh Mi Inspired Sandwich

Ingredients
Bolillos (These are Mexican rolls that I have found in the bakery of several grocery stores)
Hot Chili Mayonnaise
1 jalapeno, sliced
5 Vietnamese Pork Meatballs
Carrot & Radish Slaw

Directions
1. Slice Bolillo in half horizontally and scoop out the bread in each half leaving about a ½” inch shell
2. Slather each half with Hot Chili Mayonnaise
3. Place sliced Jalapenos in bottom half of the Bolillo shell (I put them in a single layer, but if you like it spicier – add more!)
4. Place the Vietnamese Pork Meatballs into the bottom half of sandwich, on top of Jalapenos
5. Add about 3 tablespoons of Carrot & Radish Slaw on top of meatballs
6. Top with top half of Bolillo
7. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from epicurious