Sticky Fried Shrimp Bánh Mì (Bánh Mì Tôm Đặc Biệt)

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There are many obvious similarities between New Orleans po boys and Vietnamese bánh mì, which are both essential sandwiches in the city. They start with the same style of French bread, are built around meat, and are dressed with cool veggies and creamy and spicy sauces to balance everything out. The natural intersection of these two cuisines speaks very directly to me, so I decided to meld them even further into a single sandwich. It’s a true hybrid, like me, and also extremely đặc biệt!

The bánh mì sandwich is incredibly versatile. I’ve gone with fried shrimp (my favorite po boy) for the filling, coated with a fish- sauce caramel. But you can use any protein from the book—from the Grilled Lemongrass-Marinated Meat to the Curry- Blackened Fish—topped with any combination of pickled carrot, cilantro, and cucumber. Just don’t skip my Vietnamese Aioli. It’s basically an umami bomb that comes together in literally seconds. If you think you hate mayonnaise, try this recipe and it might convert you.

Makes 4

FRIED SHRIMP

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

  Dǎc Biêt: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook Nini Nguyen

• 3⁄4 cup cornmeal

• 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 large egg, beaten

• 1⁄2 cup whole milk

• 2 pounds medium-sized shrimp, shelled and deveined

• Neutral oil for frying

SERVING

• 4 loaves Bánh Mì Bread, or any light, crusty loaves of bread

• Vietnamese Aioli / Bơ

• Fish-Sauce Caramel

• 1 lime, quartered

• Pickled Carrot and Daikon

• 1 English cucumber, cut into planks

• 1⁄2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

• 2 jalapeños, sliced

• Soy sauce (optional)

• Sambal or Crystal hotsauce (optional)

TO MAKE THE SHRIMP

1 In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, and salt. In another medium bowl, combine the egg with the milk, then add all of the shrimp.

2 Working in batches, remove the shrimp from the milk mixture, let the excess drip off, and add the shrimp to the bowl with the flour mixture. Toss to coat. Place the coated shrimp on a plate, and let sit for about 10 minutes, to allow the breading to dry.

3 When ready to fry the shrimp, fill a medium-sized pot with about 2 inches of oil, and heat to 360°F. Working in batches, add the shrimp and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.

TO ASSEMBLE THE BÁNH MÌ

1 Toast the bread and cut it in half lengthwise. Spread aioli on both sides of the bread. Top with fried shrimp, drizzle with Fish- Sauce Caramel, and spritz with lime juice. Add Pickled Carrot and Daikon, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeños, and a couple of dashes of soy sauce and/or sambal/hot sauce to taste.

Credit line: From Dac Biet © 2024 by Nini Nguyen. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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