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Lemongrass 'Pork' Meatball Banh Mi

The secrets to the most flavourful Banh Mi are a flavourful paté, succulent vegan 'meat' filling, pickled vegetables and fresh herbs – learn how to make them here!
Prep Time1 minute
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keyword: banh mi, sandwich
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Air Fryer Meatballs

  • 450 g extra firm tofu
  • 1.5 tbsp vegan fish sauce
  • 2 tsp agave syrup
  • 1/3 cup spring onions
  • 1.5 tsp minced garlic
  • 2 stalks lemongrass purple part only
  • pinch white pepper
  • salt
  • 3.5 tbsp corn starch
  • olive oil for airfrying

Meatball Glaze

  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp vegan fish sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp agave syrup
  • 1/2 tbsp lime juice
  • corn starch slurry (1 tbsp corn starch + 1/2 cup water)

Pickled Vegetables

  • 1 medium carrot
  • 1/2 radish
  • 3/4 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 3 cups water
  • 3 tbsp agave syrup
  • 1 tbsp salt

Mushroom Pate

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 400 g white button mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup spring onions chopped
  • 1 cup walnuts chopped
  • 1 tbsp vegan fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp agave
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • salt

Banh Mi

  • 4 vietnamese baguettes
  • sriracha
  • vegan mayo
  • coriander
  • sliced red chillies

Instructions

  • Peel carrot and radish. Cut them into thin strips or matchsticks.
  • In a small saucepan, combine rice vinegar, water, agave, and salt. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the agave and salt are completely dissolved. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
  • Once the brine has cooled, place the julienned carrots and radishes into a clean jar or container. You can layer them, pressing them down a little to fit.
  • Carefully pour the cooled brine over the vegetables in the jar, making sure they’re fully submerged. You may want to gently press the vegetables down with a spoon or the back of a chopstick to make sure they're all covered.
  • Seal the jar and refrigerate the pickled vegetables for at least 1-2 hours before using. For the best flavor, let them sit overnight, though they’re usually great within a few hours. The longer they sit, the more flavorful they’ll become. You can keep them in the fridge for up to 1-2 weeks.
  • Boil your extra firm tofu for 5 minutes and pat dry. Crumble into a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients – minced garlic, chopped spring onions and finely chopped lemongrass, agave, vegan fish sauce, white pepper, salt and corn starch.
  • Shape them into balls. Air fry at 190C for 15-20 minutes, flipping them halfway. Different air fryers may require slightly longer cooking times.
  • Make your mushroom pate. To a pan, add olive oil and add mushrooms. Wait until they are cooked and release water. Let 1/2 of the water evaporate.
  • Add your chives, chopped walnuts, followed by your seasonings. Mix them all together in the heat until they are well combined without much water in the mixture.
  • Add these to your food processor and blend until it becomes a smooth paste.
  • Make your meatball glaze by heating the ingredients over a pan until the sauce thickens - coat the meatballs in the sauce.
  • Slice the baguette into half. Layer with 2 spoonfuls of pate, vegan mayo and sriracha. Top with lemongrass meatballs, pickled veggies, coriander and red chilies. Serve!