Vegan Lemongrass Tofu Banh Mi

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Vegan Lemongrass Tofu Banh Mi

A vibrant and flavorful South-East Asian inspired sandwich featuring marinated lemongrass tofu, quick-pickled vegetables, fresh herbs, and a creamy vegan sriracha mayo on a crisp baguette.

  • Prep 30m
  • Cook 15m
  • Serves 2
  • By Adam Schoen

Ingredients

Dry

  • 14 oz Extra firm tofu (pressed and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices)
  • 1 Tbsp Lemongrass (fresh, finely minced)
  • 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
  • 1 Tbsp Brown sugar
  • 0.5 tsp Salt
  • 1 loaf Baguette (cut into two 6-inch portions and halved lengthwise)

Other

  • 1 cup Carrot (julienned)
  • 1 cup Daikon radish (julienned)
  • 0.5 medium Cucumber (thinly sliced)
  • 1 medium Jalapeño (thinly sliced)
  • 0.5 cup Fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems)

Wet

  • 2 Tbsp Soy sauce or Tamari
  • 1 tsp Sesame oil
  • 0.25 cup Rice vinegar
  • 3 Tbsp Vegan mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbsp Sriracha

Method

  1. 1. In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, salt, and a pinch of the brown sugar. Add the julienned carrot and daikon radish. Toss to combine and set aside to pickle for at least 20 minutes.
  2. 2. In a shallow dish, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, remaining brown sugar, minced lemongrass, and minced garlic to create the marinade.
  3. 3. Place the tofu slices in the marinade, ensuring they are well coated. Let sit for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  4. 4. In a small bowl, mix the vegan mayonnaise and sriracha to make the spicy mayo.
  5. 5. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated tofu slices (reserve excess marinade) and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and slightly crispy. Pour the reserved marinade over the tofu in the last minute of cooking to glaze.
  6. 6. Lightly toast the baguette halves. Spread a generous layer of the spicy mayo on both sides of the bread.
  7. 7. Assemble the sandwiches by layering the sliced cucumber, glazed lemongrass tofu, drained pickled carrots and daikon, jalapeño slices, and a generous handful of fresh cilantro.

Chef's notes

For extra crispy tofu, you can toss the marinated slices in 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch before pan-frying. The pickled vegetables can be made up to a week in advance and stored in the fridge.

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