Recipes

Braised Red Curry Beef Banh Mi Sandwiches with Pickled Vegetables

By: Hannah Lee Leidy
BahnMi DennyCulbert
Photo by Denny Culbert

This Braised Red Curry Beef Banh Mi Sandwiches with Pickled Vegetables is from Jason Sakran and Jeremy Spencer of Bon Bahn Mi, in Charleston.

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yields

4 Servings

    Ingredients
  • Short Ribs
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 3 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 2 pounds beef short ribs
  • 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 2 tablespoons chopped ginger
  • ¼ cup chopped shallots
  • ¼ cup red curry
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ cup coconut milk, divided
  • 4 hoagie-style rolls
  • Fried shallots (can be found at H&L– Dollee)
  • Pickled Vegetables
  • ½ cup rice wine vinegar
  • ½ cup distilled white vinegar
  • ¼ cup iodized salt (not kosher or sea salt)
  • ¾ cup sugar,2 cups water
  • 2 cups julienned (¼ inch) carrots
  • 2 cups julienned (¼ inch) daikon
steps

Short Ribs

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  2. Add sesame and canola oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Brown short ribs on all sides. Remove ribs from pan as they brown.
  3. In same pan, add garlic, ginger, shallots, curry paste, fish sauce, and tomato paste. Cook until fragrant and mixture develops color and darkens, about 3 minutes.
  4. Make a bouquet garni by wrapping the lemongrass, cinnamon stick and bay leaf in cheesecloth.
  5. Pour spice mixture into heavy bottom pan. Place browned short ribs on top then add bouquet garni to pot. Pour ¼ cup of coconut milk over short ribs. Add beef stock, if necessary, so that liquid leaves about ½ to ¼ inch of short ribs showing. Place lid on pan, and place in oven. Cook until meat has separated from ribs, approximately five to six hours. After cooking has finished, remove bouquet garni and mix in remaining ¼ cup of coconut milk.
  6. To assemble banh mi, slice hoagie lengthwise leaving bread intact, as opposed to slicing it into two pieces. Toast bread under broiler for 30 seconds. Add a bit of mayonnaise, if desired, then top with curried short ribs, pickled vegetables, a touch of cilantro and crispy fried shallots.

Pickled Vegetables

  1. Combine vinegars, salt, sugar, and water. Feel free to add various spices like black pepper, as you wish. Bring mixture to a boil. Allow to cool completely.
  2. Pour cooled brine over julienned carrots and daikon. Chill in refrigerator for 12-36 hours. (The longer you wait the better.)

Note: you may substitute other vegetables like cabbage or cucumbers for carrots and daikon. Anything cruciferous will work well.

  • Recipe by Jason Sakran and Jeremy Spencer of Bon Bahn Mi, in Charleston SC

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