Cooking Lesson #332: Instant Pot Pork Banh Mi

…from the California Kitchen

How you doin’? Do you know where the best French-style baguettes are baked? If you guessed Paris, you’re wrong. The most superb bread bakes are in Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon as it used to be known. HCMC is the largest city in Vietnam situated in the southeastern region where the city surrounds the Saigon River. This was once the seat of government for the French Colonials. 
 
Vietnam was ceded to France by the 1862 Treaty of Saigon. The city itself was planned by the French to transform into a large town for colonization. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, construction of various French-style buildings began, including a botanical garden, the Norodom Palace, Hotel Continental, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and Bến Thành Market, among many others. Saigon became known as "Pearl of the Orient" (Hòn ngọc Viễn Đông), or "Paris of the Extreme Orient." I can tell you after traveling there many times it still has that charm—both the land mass and the people.
 
On 27 April 1931, a new region called Saigon–Cholon consisting of Saigon and Cholon was formed; the name Cholon was dropped after South Vietnam gained independence from France in 1955. The city grew from 256,000 in 1930, to an influx of 1.2 million people in 1950. With this growth in citizens the French and Asian cultures “inter-married” resulting in a unique blend of cultures including Franco-Asian cuisine. It is little wonder that next to Pho, Pork Banh Mi is one of the most popular foods.

Ho Chi Minh City has a strong food and drink culture with lots of roadside restaurants,  coffee shops and food stalls where locals and tourists can enjoy local cuisine and beverages at very low prices. It's currently ranked in the top five best cities in the world for street food.
 
Okay, enough history, let’s get into sandwich making. First you have to find a source for the best baguette in your city. That’s important because bread makes this sandwich very special.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cooking time:  36 minutes
Yield:  2-1/4 cups vegetable mixture; 4 cups pork; makes 4 to 6 Sandwiches
 
Ingredients 
For the sandwiches
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 cup Asian rice vinegar
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 Persian cucumbers
5 radishes
1 cup shredded carrots
2 to 3 soft baguettes with a crispy thin crust
1/2 cup mayonnaise
10 fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish
 
For the pork
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 (1-1/2-pound) pork tenderloins
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons light olive oil
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons Sriracha hot sauce
2 cups chicken broth
 
Directions
To make the vegetable garnish for the sandwiches

1. Add the lime juice, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt into a medium bowl and stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
2. Thinly slice 2 Persian cucumbers and 5 radishes on a mandolin or with a sharp chef’s knife. Add to the bowl, along with 1 cup shredded carrots; toss to combine. Set aside to marinate.

To make the pork

1. Mix together the lime juice and the crush 2 garlic cloves.
2. Cut 2 pork tenderloins in half crosswise and season them with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil with the SAUTÉ function in an Instant Pot until shimmering.
4. Working in two batches, add the pork and sear on all sides until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Return the pork to the pot.
5. Add the lime juice and garlic mixture, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 2 tablespoons Sriracha, and 2 cups chicken broth, and stir to combine. Lock the lid on and make sure the valve is set to seal.
6. Set to cook under HIGH pressure for 10 MINUTES. When the cook time is up, let the pressure NATURALLY RELEASE for 5 MINUTES. Quick release any remaining pressure.
7. Transfer the pork to a clean cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, simmer the cooking liquid with the SAUTÉ function.
9. Trim the ends from 2 to 3 baguettes, then cut crosswise into 4 or 6 (6-inch) pieces. Split each piece lengthwise to form sandwich rolls.
10. Spread the top half of each roll with 2 tablespoons mayonnaise.
11. Thinly slice the pork crosswise, and place on the bottom half of each roll. Drizzle with some of the reduced cooking liquid.
12. Top each roll with 1/2 cup pickled vegetables and garnish with 2 sprigs cilantro on each sandwich. Close the sandwiches, cut each one in half, and serve.
13. The sliced pork and pickles can be refrigerated separately up to 4 days.

ChefSecret:  For a little added flavor, I add a light smear of hoisin sauce over the pork.

Quip of the Day:  Please join me in telling Walmart, “If I wanted to self-check I’d stay at home and shop on Amazon… for goodness’ sake, hire some cashiers."
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