Meatball Banh Mi

As the American palate (thankfully) grows beyond an appreciation of Asian food limited to Panda Express and teriyaki, several new dishes are coming into focus as a common meal, even to people who aren't especially adventurous.  Asian soups like ramen and pho have reached near-ubiquity in urban areas, and Thai takeout is starting to feel almost as common as Chinese.

Aside from pho, the biggest calling card in Vietnamese cuisine is likely banh mi, probably due to this sandwich's relative similarity to more classic American foods: a crusty french baguette filled with seasoned meat, herbs, and pickled veggies is exotic enough to be interesting, but served in a familiar vessel.

The unfortunate side of these dishes spreading is that in many cases, the interpretation takes them so far from their origin that they're barely recognizable.  I've seen chefs on Chopped refer to something as a banh mi that in reality looks more like a panini, and the one time I ordered the "Banh Mi Power Bowl", I was dumbfounded at the way essentially none of its elements had anything to do with the original dish.

These meatballs are not strictly traditional, and you usually don't find hoisin sauce in banh mi, but I think I kept mine generally close enough to a Vietnamese flavor profile to still justify the name.  I made sure to include some classic components: spicy jalapeno slices, pickled carrots and daikon, and fresh cilantro.  The result was a satisfying way to repurpose a large batch of meatballs into something new and exciting.

Meatball Banh Mi
6-8in piece French baguette or other crusty bread
5 Vietnamese turkey meatballs
1/4 cup carrot, cut into matchsticks
1/4 cup daikon radish, cut into matchsticks
1/4 cup cilantro, bottom portion of stems removed
1/2 jalapeño pepper, sliced into thin rings
1/2 cucumber, sliced into ribbons
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Add carrots and radish to bowl and sprinkle liberally with salt.  Let sit for at least 30 min to allow water to leech out.

Rinse and drain carrots and daikon and squeeze to remove any remaining salt and water.  Add to resealable container along with vinegar and sugar, and stir to combine.  Keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

Slice bread most of the way through to form a deep pocket.  Layer in cucumber, jalapeño, meatballs, cilantro, and pickled carrots and daikon.  Top with hoisin sauce and serve immediately.