Peanut's Kitchen - Family Recipes for Everyday Life

Ingredients

Marinade

1. 1 cup Asian fish sauce
2. 1 cup fresh lime juice
3. 1/2 cup sugar
4. 8 garlic cloves, minced
5. 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste
6. 4 red Thai chiles, thinly sliced
7. 1 tablespoon kosher salt
8. 8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (3 1/2 pounds)

Pickled Vegetables

1. 1/2 cup water
2. 1/4 cup rice vinegar
3. 1/4 cup sugar
4. 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
5. Pinch of crushed red pepper
6. 3 large carrots, julienned
7. 1/4 pound daikon radish, julienned

Banh Mi

1. Four 8-inch baguettes, split and grilled
2. 1/4 cup mayonnaise
3. 1 cucumber, thinly sliced lengthwise
4. 10 large cilantro sprigs
5. 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced

Directions

1. MAKE THE MARINADE : In a bowl, whisk the fish sauce with the lime juice, sugar, garlic, Thai chiles, lemongrass, and salt. Put the chicken in a resealable plastic bag with the marinade.
2. PICKLE THE VEGETABLES : In a small saucepan, bring the water, vinegar, sugar, salt and crushed red pepper to a boil. Transfer the brine to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Add the carrots and daikon and cover to keep them submerged. Refrigerate the vegetables for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days.
3. MAKE THE BANH MI : Light a grill. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry. Grill the chicken over moderate heat, turning once, until just cooked through, about 14 minutes. Transfer to a work surface and let rest for 5 minutes.
4. Drain the pickled vegetables. Slice 6 of the chicken breasts.
5. Spread the cut sides of the baguettes with mayonnaise. Arrange the cucumber slices on the bottom halves. Top with the chicken and the pickled carrots and daikon. Garnish with the cilantro sprigs and jalapeño. Close the sandwiches and serve
6. If not a big fan of lemongrass, just omit from the marinade.