Christopher Gregson is a project manager for Casting Networks’ sister sites ModelWire and ModelWire Network. He has been with the company for three years. His hobbies include filmmaking, goofing around on guitar and drums, designing board games and camping.
Veggie and Soy Banh Mi
If you’re a carnivore like me, you might scoff at this recipe title – but trust me, one bite of this multi-flavored and textured hearty Vietnamese sandwich, and you’ll be in love.
1 package, firm Tofu
1 Baguette (psst, it’s a Fench bread loaf!)
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1/3 cup Rice Wine Vinegar
¼ cup Sugar
1 medium size Jalapeno
1 medium size Carrot
1 medium Size Cucumber
1 cup sliced Shittake Mushrooms
Lime
Cilantro
½ cup Scalions (psst, green onions!), julienne cut (psst, kinda diagonally)
½ cup Soy Sauce
¼ cup Seasame Oil
¼ cup Chili Oil
2 Tbsp Ginger, crushed
2 Tbsp Garlic, crushed
Take your tofu brick and drain it. Wrap it in paper towels, put it on a plate and place something heavy on it. The idea is to sqeeze all the liquid out so that it becomes like a dry sponge, ready to soak in the tofu marinade you’ll be making shortly.
While you’re spongifying your tofu, wisk up the sugar, salt and vinegar to make a pickling solution. Peel the carrot and cucumber to get that nasty outer casing off, and feed it to your dog. Take what remains, and peel them into long strips until you have about 1 and ¼ cups each. Chop up the mushrooms. Put all the veggies into the pickling solution and toss ‘em in it. Put it in the fridge and let it chill for about 30min.
In a dish larger than your tofu, mix together the soy sauce, seasame oil, ginger and garlic (I use the pre-crushed in-a-jar kind), and the chili oil. If you’re out of chili oil, you can make some wicked easy. Dump some olive oil in a pan on medium/low heat with a small handful of crushed red peppers, (i.e. about 4 packets of those hot thingies that comes with your delivery pizza). Take your tofu and slice it into two down the side so you get a couple nice steaks out if it. Marinate in the fridge for about 30min.
Slice up some jalapenos according to your taste, and quarter the lime. When your tofu is done marinating, it’s time to get cooking! Fire up a skillet and fry the tofu on each side about 4min. While that’s happenin’, cut open the baquette, and brush the inside with the leftover soy sauce marinade. Rip up the cilantro and decorate the bread so it looks all pretty. What’s that? The tofu is done? Sweet! Cut each steak in half, lay it on the baquette, throw your pickled veggies on there, jalapenos, and squeeze some lime juice over the top. Bite into that banh mi and be super impressed with yourself.
If this all seems kinda complicated and a lot of work – have no fear, I just happen to direct a cooking webseries where we show you how to make this EXACT RECIPE! Amazing! Check out my show “Dish it Out” for this and other great recipies!
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