Vegetarian Banh Mi With Lemongrass Eggplant

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 large carrot

  or 2 medium, peeled and cut into thin batons
• 1/4 cup warm or hot water water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons white sugar

  or palm sugar
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove

  sliced
• 1 large eggplant

  aubergine, cut into half circles
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stalk lemongrass

  thicker, pale part finely diced, ~2 tablespoons
• 3 cloves garlic

  finely diced (about 1.5 tablespoons)
• 2 circle slices of ginger

  finely diced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  or Tamari
• 6 tablespoons Olive oil for cooking

  for cooking
• 1 long red chili

  sliced thinly and chopped (e.g. banana chili, not too spicy)
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

  or lime juice
• 1 cup chopped coriander

  cilantro
• 1/2 cup green onions

  2-3 onions, both white and green parts, chopped
• 1 large cucumber

  peeled into ribbons
• 6 tablespoons mayonnaise

  I used the Japanese Kewpie mayo brand
• 4 tablespoons fried dry Asian onions

  or shallots
• 2-4 leaves iceberg lettuce
• 4 baguette

  or crusty bread rolls, on the smaller side

Instructions

• 1 Pickle the carrots. Dissolve salt and sugar in the warm water, then add rice
  vinegar. Add carrots and garlic and stir through; let stand for at least 1 hour
  – carrot should be a bit tangy – but best to make it a day before. These will
  last for up to a week in the refrigerator.
• 2 Prepare the eggplant. Cut eggplant into circles, about 0.5-0.7cm thick, and then
  cut those in half circles. Layer on a plate or a board and sprinkle lightly with
  salt to draw out some of the moisture. This helps to reduce the amount of oil
  needed to fry the eggplant (note, you will still need a lot!).
• 3 Prepare aromatics. While eggplant is doing its thing, dice and mince garlic,
  ginger and lemongrass and set aside. You can also prepare some of the other
  ingredients, although I do that while the eggplant is cooking.
• 4 Cook eggplant. Heat a thin layer of olive oil (about 5 tablespoons) in a large
  frying pan over medium to high heat. Add the eggplant slices (in batches or use
  two frying pans) and pan-fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. You may need to
  drizzle extra olive oil as the eggplant will absorb what was in the pan
  instantly. Turn over and cook for about 2 minutes on the opposite side. You may
  need a little extra oil but not as much. 
• 5 Remove pre-cooked eggplant to a cutting board. Repeat with the remaining
  eggplant until it’s all cooked. 
• 6 Cook the aromatics. Add lemongrass, garlic and ginger to the same frying pan
  with a splash of olive oil. Cook for a minute, stirring a few times until it
  starts to get golden. In the meantime, roughly cut the eggplant.
• 7 Finish the eggplant. Add the cut-up eggplant, sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon
  of white pepper and drizzle 2 tablespoons of soy sauce over the top. Cook for
  about 2 minutes, stirring a few times. Remove eggplant to a bowl and set aside.
• 8 Prepare the chili. Chop the chili and mix with a little rice wine vinegar in a
  bowl, set aside.
• 9 Make the rolls. Split rolls down the centre and spread apart. 
• 10 Spread 1.5 tablespoons of mayo on one side and arrange the iceberg lettuce on
  the other. Layer cucumber slices and pickled carrots over the mayo and spread
  about 1/4 cup of the eggplant on top of the lettuce (or as much as you like). 
• 11 Sprinkle with chilli, plenty of coriander and green onions. Finish with a
  tablespoon of the fried shallots for texture. You can drizzle some of the
  pickling brine from carrots over the top. 
• 12 Close the roll and bite in! You can cut it in halves for easier consumption.

Nutrition Info