Sticky Fried Shrimp Bánh Mì

steps

Make the Bánh Mì Bread

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add all of the ingredients (except the cooking oil spray) in the order listed. Use the hook attachment to help manually work the dough together, to make a shaggy dough.
2. Place the bowl and hook onto the stand mixer and mix the dough for 5 minutes on medium speed.
3. Take the dough out and form it into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl. Wrap with plastic wrap and let it double in size. It should take about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on how warm your environment is. If the environment is warmer, the yeast will rise a lot sooner than if the environment is cooler, so be sure to check on it every 20 minutes or so. As soon at it doubles in size you can move to the next step.
4. Place the dough on an oiled surface, knock out the air, and form it into a ball. Cover the ball in plastic wrap or place an inverted bowl over it and let it rest for 20 minutes.
5. After 20 minutes, cut the dough into portions (4 or 6) and re-form the pieces into smaller balls. Pinch the dough in the bottom center and roll it in the palm of your hand on the table in a circular motion to make a smooth ball. Spray the dough balls with oil spray and cover. Let them rest for another 15 minutes.
6. After it rests, form each mound of dough into a ball again by flattening the balls and pinching the dough into itself. Let it rest again, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes.
7. Roll the dough out and shape the balls into baguettes by flipping them so that the top side is now on the bottom. Deflate only 2/3 of the bun, leaving one side still airy and plump and the other side more flat.
8. Using a small oiled rolling pin, roll the deflated side out so that one side is very flat and evenly wide while the other side is plump and a little smaller. This helps build the bread to be fuller in the center.
9. Once you have made a neat dough log, use both hands to roll the dough out to become longer and tapered on the ends.
10. Lay the logs onto a baking sheet or baguette tray sprayed with a cooking oil spray, spray the dough, and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rest for approximately 35 to 45 minutes or until the dough bounces up when pressed lightly. While it rests, preheat the oven to 465.
11. Once the dough has risen, place a sheet tray with water in it into the oven on the bottom rack. This creates a humid oven and helps with the crispiness of the bread.
12. Cut slits on the top side of the dough to help it open up once baked.
13. Mist the dough with water to increase crispiness. Place the baguettes onto the top- middle rack, mist the inside of the oven with some water, and bake for 8 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 4 minutes.
14. Lower the temperature to 400 and bake for another 6 to 8 minutes or until the bread is golden brown. Check the bottom of the bread to make sure it gets golden, otherwise flip the bread over and bake for 2 to 3 minutes more until the bottom is nice and golden brown.
15. Let the bread cool for a few minutes before serving.

Make the Vietnamese Aioli / Bơ

If using an immersion blender:

1. In a tall jar or large heavy-duty cup, add all ingredients along with 2 tablespoons of water and let them sit for 3 minutes.
2. Place the tip of the immersion blender at the base of the cup and blend for 30 seconds, or until all of the oil gets incorporated and the aioli is emulsified and creamy. It is important to make sure NOT to bring the immersion blender up from the base of the cup until it gets thick and creamy. Moving it up too fast will break the mayo and it will not get thick.
3. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

If using a food processor:

1. In the bowl of the food processor, add the egg, garlic, fish sauce, salt, and 2 tablespoons of water.
2. Pulse to combine, then slowly pour in the oil in a steady stream, blending as you go, until all of the oil gets incorporated and the aioli is emulsified and creamy.
3. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Make the Fish-Sauce Caramel

1. In a small bowl, add the minced garlic to 1/3 cup of hot water. Let it soak for 5 minutes.
2. Heat a small stainless-steel saucepan over high heat and add the sugar. Let it melt and start to turn a faint amber color around the edges, around 30 seconds. Just be careful not to let it burn. You can swirl the pan a bit to help move the sugar around but don’t stir it, which will cause crystallization.
3. Once the sugar is melted and just starting to turn color, remove it from the heat and add the garlic-water mixture, the fish sauce, and the red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
4. Place back over high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring, until all of the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. If any major clumps of sugar remain, you can fish them out with a spoon.
5. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature before using.
6. You can store the caramel in an airtight container in the fridge for a few months. Just microwave it for about 10 seconds to loosen it, or stir in 1 tablespoon of hot water at a time until you’ve achieved your desired consistency.

Make the Pickled Carrot and Daikon

1. Place the carrots and daikon in a bowl. In a small saucepot set over high heat, add the sugar, salt, and ½ cup of water.
2. Bring to a boil, then add the vinegar. Pour this brine over the bowl of vegetables, toss to combine, and let cool at room temperature.
3. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Make the Shrimp

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, and salt. In another medium bowl, combine the egg with the milk, then add all of the shrimp.
2. Working in batches, remove the shrimp from the milk mixture, let the excess drip off, and add the shrimp to the bowl with the flour mixture. Toss to coat. Place the coated shrimp on a plate, and let sit for about 10 minutes, to allow the breading to dry.
3. When ready to fry the shrimp, fill a medium- sized pot with about 2 inches of oil, and heat to 360°F. Working in batches, add the shrimp and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.

Assemble

1. Toast the bread and cut it in half lengthwise. Spread aioli on both sides of the bread. Top with fried shrimp, drizzle with Fish- Sauce Caramel, and spritz with lime juice. Add Pickled Carrot and Daikon, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeños, and a couple of dashes of soy sauce and/or sambal/hot sauce to taste.