Banh Mi on Baguette- Saigon Sub with Filipino Beef Tapa

I love to bake bread. It is challenging, yet it is one of the most fulfilling and creative endeavors. Which was what inspired me to make homemade Banh Mi on Baguette- a Saigon Sub with Filipino Beef Tapa. I like that you can make something out of nothing – from basic flour, water and yeast you can have a huge, crusty, hearty loaf and an irresistible bread aroma around the home a few hours later. My favorite part is when I slather on some fresh butter on newly baked bread fresh out of the oven and it is just heaven.

Back to earth, back to the kitchen. My friends sent me this new cookbook ‘Baking by Hand’ by Andy and Jackie King.  What a great baking reference, whether you are a baking newbie or a pro, this book of 240 pages and nearly 100 recipes has helpful tips, information, recipes and wondrous bread and dessert photos. I do admit, that even if I have spent years trying to perfect baking bread, this book seemed intimidating at first. But like a good teacher the cookbook taught me that there was much to learn about baking bread and opened my eyes to new techniques that have been basic ever since.

This is definitely a book for those who love to bake bread. If you’re new to the art, this is a great first teacher. If you’re a pro, then this will reaffirm and be a good reference. I look forward to trying more recipes in the cookbook like : the Croissant Dough, the Oatmeal-Cinnamon Raisin Loaves, Sticky Buns, a Chocolate-Coconut Macadamia Tart and The Classic A & J Apple Tart. Oh there is so much more to make, I will be busy all winter long baking bread with this book!

This book and these baguette loaves I baked took me back to the basics of baking by hand, the way I first learned how many years ago – when I made the Filipino pan de sal and ensaimadas, the Philippine brioche. Baking By Hand shows you how you can do it properly without any modern contraptions, just you, your hands and the flour. Open this cookbook and bake some bread with your spouse, kids or friends. Do it for the holidays or for family get-togethers. Indulge by going back to the basics, baking by hand!

Then go a step further, make these Banh Mi sandwiches, filled with a silky spread of homemade mayonnaise,  a bounty of fresh vegetables, sweet flavored Filipino beef tapa and spicy Kimchi for the punch.

Print Recipe

Banh Mi Baguette- Saigon Sub with Filipino Beef Tapa

I made these delightful Banh Mi, (say ‘bun me’) a Vietnamese submarine sandwich, and filled it with my own Filipino Beef Tapa slices. This Asian sandwich has terrific layers of flavors ranging from sweet, savory to the very spicy. First I baked the baguettes from a recipe in the cookbook, but using regular bread flour instead of whole wheat.  Then, I made the homemade mayonnaise and pan seared the beef. To assemble, I put together the beef strips, vegetables and fiery Kimchi in the luscious homemade baguette.

. My recipe for the

. The Homemade Mayonnaise, which makes 2 cups was adapted from the cookbook “Baking By Hand” by Andy and Jackie King. Serves 2.

Course: Brunch, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: Asian, Filipino, Vietnamese

Keyword: Banh Mi Saigon Sub Filipino Tapa

Servings: 2 people

Calories: 204kcal

Author: Asian in America

Ingredients

• 2 whole pieces baguette loaves
• 1/2 pound cooked Filipino Beef Tapa sliced thin for Banh Mi filling (see my blog post for recipe)
• 2 cups canola oil for homemade mayonnaise
• 2 whole (4 oz./70 g. each) fresh pasteurized egg yolks for homemade mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon salt for mayonnaise
• 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard for mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar for mayonnaise
• 4 whole large bok choy leaves blanched for 1 minute
• 1 whole large tomato sliced
• 1 whole large red bell pepper seeded, membrane removed, sliced in 2-inch strips
• 1 whole medium-sized red onion sliced thin
• 1 whole medium-sized cucumber peeled, sliced
• 1/2 cup Kimchi (spicy Korean cabbage pickles) bottled

Instructions

• Bake two loaves of baguettes (see blog post of www.karenskitchenstories.com).
• To make the homemade mayonnaise: In a large non reactive bowl, mix together the egg yolk, sea salt, dry mustard, white wine vinegar. Combine these well. Slowly add the canola oil in trickles, while whisking. Keep whisking to allow the emulsification to happen. When the mayonnaise starts to thicken, you can add more canola oil a bit faster. Keep refrigerated for up to 1 week till ready to use.
• To make the Beef Tapa, see my previous blog post of “Pindang Baka”. When beef tapa slices are pan seared, drain right after cooking on parchment paper to remove excess oil.
• To prepare vegetable filling: Wash and slice vegetables needed; blanch bok choy leaves in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, drain and set aside on flat platter till ready to use.
• To assemble the Banh Mi: Slice open the baguettes lengthwise. Spread a thin layer of homemade mayonnaise on the bottom baguette. Fill sandwich in this order: bok choy leaves, beef, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions. Top with kimchi.
• Cook’s comments: This is my version of Banh Mi, using ingredients I had on hand. Feel free to use other traditional Banh Mi ingredients for fillings : Smoked ham, fresh cilantro, pickled vegetables like daikon radish, carrots, chile peppers.
• Bread recipe notes: The original recipe in the cookbook used whole wheat flour for the baguettes. I used regular bread flour which I already had in my pantry.. You can use whole wheat if you prefer.
• Disclosure: The cookbook was a gift and I was not compensated to review or mention it. My views are my own. I will gladly recommend this bread baking cookbook to anyone who enjoys the craft. Find this where most books are sold, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and independent book sellers.

Copyright Notice: Hello, Friends! All the images and content here are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED. This means BY LAW you are NOT allowed to use my photos or content on your website  without my permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write it in your own words and simply link back to this blog to give proper attribution. It’s the legal thing to do. Thank you.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1164mg | Sugar: 1g

Notes on Nutrition: The nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of the marinade ingredients. The actual amount of the marinade consumed will vary. The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.

Did you like this recipe? I have more classic recipes inspired by my late mother’s cooking in my popular cookbook: My Mother’s Philippine Recipes. If you’re learning how to cook Filipino food or a fan of Philippine cuisine, buy my cookbooks and books on Amazon.com sold worldwide in paperback and Kindle format.

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