Crispy Rockfish Banh Mi Recipe | Easy Vietnamese Sandwich
Rockfish Banh Mi
Rockfish Banh Mi
Ingredients
- 3 cups distilled white vinegar
- 3 tbsp granulated white sugar
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 8 oz (227 g) daikon radish, cut into matchsticks
- 8 oz (227 g) carrots, cut into matchsticks
- 2 lbs (907 g) rockfish fillets
- 4.8 oz (136 g) ground pork fat
- 8 g garlic powder
- 8 g monosodium glutamate (MSG)
- 8 g table salt
- 2 g ground white pepper
- 7 oz granulated sugar
- 1 oz fresh garlic, minced
- 0.25 oz Thai bird chili peppers
- 4.5 fl oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3¼ fl oz fish sauce
- 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped (including stems)
- 1 bunch fresh dill, chopped (fronds only)
- 1 bunch fresh mint, chopped (tender leaves only)
- 1 head green cabbage, finely shredded using mandoline
- 1 head red/purple cabbage, thinly sliced on mandoline
- ½ cucumber, halved lengthwise then sliced on diagonal with mandoline
- 8 oz (227 g) Fresno chili peppers
- 3 cups white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 cups prepared mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp Maggi seasoning sauce
- 8–9 pieces (6-inch) French bread rolls
- 1 cucumber, sliced diagonally on mandoline
- Cooking oil (as needed)
Instructions
Step 1
Start by grabbing a small saucepan and tossing in 1 cup of water along with a splash of rice vinegar, a pinch of sugar, and a good pinch of salt. Set it over medium heat and stir gently until everything melts together — you're not looking for a rolling boil, just a gentle bubble or two breaking the surface. While that warms up, pile your julienned daikon and carrots into a heatproof bowl or jar, making sure there's enough room for the liquid to cover them later. Once the pickling liquid is warm and fragrant, slowly pour it over the vegetables, pressing them down with a spoon so they're completely submerged. Let that sit on the counter until it cools to room temperature, then pop it in the fridge — at least an hour if you're in a rush, but honestly, overnight is where the magic happens.
Step 2
Start by grating your rockfish fillets through a food processor fitted with the coarse disc, or finely mince them with a sharp knife if you don't have a grinder—the texture will be slightly different but still delicious. In a large bowl, combine the fish with 8 ounces of ground pork fat, 1 teaspoon garlic granules, 1 teaspoon MSG, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon white pepper. Mix gently with your hands until the fat and seasonings are evenly distributed and the mixture starts to hold together, being careful not to overwork it. Divide into 8 equal portions of about 4.25 ounces each, rolling them into loose balls before flattening into 1/2-inch thick patties. If the mixture sticks to your hands, lightly dampen them with cold water to make shaping easier. Cover and refrigerate the patties for 15 minutes to firm up before grilling or pan-searing.
Step 3
Grab a small bowl and toss in your sugar, minced garlic, and Thai chiles. Pulse everything together until it breaks down into a chunky, aromatic paste—think coarse sand with some texture. Pour that fragrant mixture into a larger container, then add your lime juice, fish sauce, and 5 fluid ounces of water. Stir gently until the sugar disappears completely, then slide it into the fridge to chill while you work on everything else.
Step 4
Grab a large mixing bowl and toss together your sliced green cabbage, fresh cilantro leaves, mint leaves, and Thai basil. You'll want to gently fold everything together until the herbs are evenly distributed throughout the cabbage — don't worry about being too precise here, just make sure no one gets a mouthful of plain cabbage. The slaw should look bright and colorful, with the green herbs peeking through the white and pale green cabbage shreds.
Step 5
Grab a large mixing bowl and add your sliced green cabbage, purple cabbage, and cucumber along with your fresh herbs. Toss everything together with your hands or a wooden spoon until the vegetables and herbs are evenly distributed throughout the bowl. Drizzle in all 4 tablespoons of nuoc cham dressing, then toss again until every cabbage leaf and cucumber slice is nicely coated and glistening. This veggie mixture is ready to pile onto your banh mi right away, or you can cover the bowl and pop it in the fridge for up to an hour if you want those flavors to meld together a bit first.
Step 6
Slice those Fresno chiles nice and thin, cutting along the grain so they stay tender. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, salt, sugar, and 1 cup of water. Heat it over medium-low until it starts to gently simmer, stirring constantly to make sure the sugar and salt fully dissolve — don't let anything stick to the bottom! Carefully pour this warm brine over your sliced chiles and let them cool down to room temperature before transferring everything to a container and popping it in the fridge.
Step 7
Grab a small bowl and add your mayonnaise along with the Maggi seasoning. Give it a good stir with a spoon or whisk until the mixture turns smooth and you don't see any streaks of mayo or pools of seasoning — it should look uniform and creamy. This only takes about 30 seconds of mixing, but it makes all the difference in getting that deep, savory flavor evenly distributed.
Step 8
Preheat your oven to 350°F and let it warm up while you prep the bread. Slice your baguette lengthwise without cutting all the way through, creating a hinge so it opens like a book. Lightly brush the inside with mayonnaise or oil, then set it on a baking sheet ready for toasting.
Step 9
**Step 9: Build Your Banh Mi** First, pop your French bread into a 375°F oven for about 5 minutes—just until the crust turns golden and crackly while the inside warms through and softens slightly. You’ll know it’s ready when you tap the crust and hear that satisfying hollow sound. Let it cool just enough so you can handle it safely. Using a serrated knife, slice the bread lengthwise but keep one side hinged so it opens like a book. Spread a generous, even layer of Maggi mayo across the bottom half—that umami-rich coating is what ties everything together. Now layer on that cabbage herb slaw, pressing it down lightly so it adheres to the mayo. Add the tangy pickled carrots and daikon, then layer on cucumber slices for crunch. Finish with those bright pickled Fresno chiles for a fruity heat that cuts through all the richness. Close up your sandwich, give it a gentle press, and get ready for that first bite—the crust shatters, the fillings meld, and suddenly you’re hooked.
Step 10
Get your skillet good and warm with a light coat of oil—I'm talking medium to medium-high heat here. Lay those rockfish patties in and give them a solid 3 minutes per side, and oh my goodness, that golden crust that forms is everything. You'll know they're ready when they're nicely browned and cook all the way through. Let them rest on your cutting board for a sec, then slice each patty into four triangles and fan them out over your dressed veggies.
Nutrition Information
My Tip
Mix the pickling liquid while it's still warm—the heat helps the daikon and carrots soften just enough to become perfectly tender-crisp within that first hour.
Leftovers
Store leftover rockfish and pickled veggies separately in airtight containers—the fish keeps 3 days, while the tangy daikon-carrot mix stays crisp up to a week. Reheat the fish gently in a skillet with a splash of water, covered, to keep it moist.
Make It Your Own
Swap rockfish for firm tofu and replace pork fat with finely chopped shiitake mushrooms sautéed in sesame oil for a vegetarian twist that keeps the banh mi's signature crunch and umami depth intact.