Ingredients

• 4 Vietnamese-style baguettes (or small French baguettes), split lengthwise
• 1 lb pork shoulder, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp fish sauce (buy here)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (buy here)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 oz pork pate (store-bought or homemade) (buy here)
• 1/4 cup Vietnamese-style mayonnaise (buy here)
• 1 large carrot, julienned
• 1 small daikon radish, julienned
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar, for pickling (buy here)
• 2 tbsp sugar, for pickling
• 1/2 tsp salt, for pickling
• 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced lengthwise
• Fresh cilantro sprigs
• 1-2 fresh red chilies, thinly sliced
• Maggi seasoning or soy sauce, to taste (buy here)
• Black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Quick-pickle the carrot and daikon: combine with the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl, toss, and let sit at least 20 minutes while you prep everything else.
2. Marinate the pork slices in fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and garlic for at least 15 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the pork until browned and just cooked through, 3-4 minutes per side.
4. Warm the baguettes briefly in the oven to crisp the crust, then split open.
5. Spread pate and mayonnaise on the inside of each baguette.
6. Layer in the cooked pork, pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, cilantro, and chili slices.
7. Finish with a few drops of Maggi seasoning or soy sauce and a crack of black pepper. Serve immediately.

Tips

• The bread matters as much as the filling -- look for a baguette with a thin, light crust and airy crumb; a dense, chewy French baguette will fight the fillings instead of getting out of their way.
• Don't skip the pickle step or shorten it too much -- the vinegar bite is what keeps the sandwich from tasting heavy.
• Pate is traditional, but if you can't find it, the sandwich still works with just the pork and mayo -- it'll just be a lighter version.