In the city, you can’t help noticing the explosion of Vietnamese cuisine, and the culinary expansion of all the food trucks. It’s no longer just hot dogs and souvlaki! Well, these Vietnamese Sandwiches, as beautiful as they look, are typically made with pork. My goal was to come up with a vegetarian version, that had all the colorful elements, but without the meat. I have to say, that this Banh Mi Sandwich, captures all of the flavor, and leaves room for continuos inspiration. I made it last week using tempeh instead of the tofu, and added a little Sirachi sauce and a squeeze of lime. It was divine! Enjoy!

Step-By-Step Instructions

Combine the carrots and radishes with the sugar, salt, vinegar, and water. Let marinate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice tofu ¼ inch thick, and lay out on towel. Pat dry. Season the tofu with garlic powder and onion powder. Sauté in oil until crisp on one side. Turn over and continue cooking on other side until crispy. When finished, sprinkle tamari over the tofu in the hot pan and allow it to sizzle and coat the tofu. Add hot chili oil. Remove from pan and lay out on paper towel to absorb the oil.

Prepare the sandwiches on toasted organic whole wheat baguette with mayo, tofu, slaw, cucumber, and cilantro.

Add freshly ground pepper and enjoy!