Cold Cut Banh Mi with Pâté-Mayo and Quick Daikon Pickles

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The classic Vietnamese deli sandwich, built the way the best shops do it: a light baguette crisped in the oven until it shatters, a rich pâté-and-mayo spread swiped edge to edge, store-bought cha lua and deli ham layered thin, and a fistful of tart daikon-carrot pickles, cucumber spears, cilantro and raw chili. Nothing needs cooking beyond warming the bread, and the pickles are ready in 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 8 oz daikon radish, peeled and cut into 3-inch matchsticks
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch matchsticks
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 3/4 cup warm water

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise, preferably Kewpie or other Japanese-style
• 3 oz pork liver pâté or chicken liver mousse, at room temperature
• 1 tsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 pinch black pepper

• 4 light, thin-crusted baguettes (8 inches each) or 1 long French baguette cut into 4 pieces
• 6 oz cha lua (Vietnamese steamed pork roll), sliced 1/8 inch thick
• 6 oz thinly sliced deli ham, such as Black Forest
• 4 oz thinly sliced deli-style headcheese or mortadella (optional)
• 1 small English cucumber, cut into long 1/4-inch spears
• 1 large bunch cilantro, thick stems trimmed, sprigs left whole
• 2 Thai bird chilies or 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp Maggi seasoning sauce or soy sauce, for drizzling
• Flaky salt and coarse black pepper

Instructions

1. Make the pickles first: toss the daikon and carrot matchsticks with 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a colander and let sit 10 minutes, then squeeze gently with your hands — they should bend without snapping. Rinse briefly under cold water and squeeze dry.
2. Stir the sugar, white vinegar, and warm water together in a quart jar or bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add the drained vegetables, press them under the brine, and let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes (up to 3 days refrigerated). They are best on day one for crunch.
3. Make the spread: in a small bowl, mash the pâté with the softened butter until smooth, then whisk in the mayonnaise, soy sauce, and a pinch of black pepper. You want a pale, spreadable mousse the texture of frosting. Refrigerate until needed.
4. Heat the oven to 400°F. Place the baguettes directly on the middle rack and bake 5 to 8 minutes, until the crust is dry, blistered, and audibly crackly when squeezed. Let cool 3 minutes — hot bread steams and softens the sandwich.
5. Split each baguette lengthwise, leaving a hinge along one side. If the interior is very bready, pull out a thin ribbon of crumb from the top half to make room for fillings.
6. Spread the pâté-mayo generously on both cut faces, all the way to the ends. This is the flavor backbone — don't be shy, use about 2 tablespoons per sandwich.
7. Layer the cold cuts across the bottom half: cha lua first, then ruffled folds of ham, then headcheese or mortadella if using. Drape rather than stack flat so the meat stays airy. Season with a pinch of flaky salt and coarse pepper.
8. Lay in 2 or 3 cucumber spears, then squeeze a small handful of pickles dry and pile them down the length of the sandwich. Add a thick layer of cilantro sprigs and as many chili slices as you can handle.
9. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon Maggi seasoning over the fillings, close the sandwich, and press firmly with your palm for a few seconds so the crust cracks and everything compacts. Cut in half on a sharp diagonal and eat immediately.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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