Vietnam's way with a French baguette is fusion at its best

In the culinary world the term fusion has come to have a less than positive connotation. That said, the evolution of food around the world has had a lot to do with cross-cultural exchange and you don't have to delve too far into food history to discover that most foods have been influenced over the centuries as a result of the opening up of trade routes or migration.

One such example of this is the Vietnamese banh mi sandwich.

Imagine a fluffy French-style baguette stuffed with a variety of meat and soy fillings like roast pork belly, soy-braised chicken, Vietnamese sausage or grilled pork and then served with pickled vegetables like carrot or daikon, a generous quantity of Asian herbs such as coriander and mint and of course a good lacing of spicy chilli sauce and/or fresh chilli.

Other flavourings and fillings can include pork floss, pork pate, soft meatballs, tofu, grilled chicken, chicken floss, mayonnaise or Maggi seasoning; the choices seem endless.

It's the perfect fusion of Vietnamese and French flavours. Despite the fact that Vietnam has been independent of French rule for almost 60 years, banh mi remains a staple throughout the country and thanks to the influx of Vietnamese immigrants to our shores in recent years, we too can appreciate the joys of it.

The name banh mi actually refers to the bread component of the dish. It would be more accurate to call the banh mi you see here banh mi thit, thit meaning meat. Regardless of what you call it, there's no denying this is one of the most flavoursome sandwiches you're likely to come across.

In terms of preparation the amount of work involved is up to you. You could roast your own pork, or pick some up from a Chinese barbecue shop instead. The same goes for the mayonnaise - if you're not inclined to make your own, a good quality store-bought one will do just fine. Try to find a Vietnamese bakery for the perfect crackle-crusted, single-serve baguettes - they're easier to find than you may think.

You may be able to find pickled carrot in Asian grocers but it's a simple prospect to make a quick batch yourself. Cut a carrot or two into matchsticks, mix with a teaspoon of salt, leave until slightly softened and then rinse. Meanwhile, bring equal quantities of white vinegar and water to the boil, add sugar to taste (for 1 cup of vinegar I'd add a couple of teaspoons of sugar) and pour over the carrots. Leave for an hour and drain before using.

Alternatively you can make a bigger batch and store them in a sterile container in the fridge for up to one month keeping them in the brine. That way, you're a step ahead for the next time you get a craving for banh mi. Because believe me, you most definitely will.

Matt Moran is co-owner/chef of ARIA, 1 Macquarie St, Circular Quay, ariarestaurant.com, 9252 2555; Chiswick, 65 Ocean St, Woollahra, chiswickrestaurant.com .au, 8388 8688

BANH MI VIETNAMESE SANWDICH

Ingredients

4 small baguettes
100g pate (of your choice)
4tbs mayonnaise
250g roast or barbecued pork (sliced)
1 Lebanese cucumber (sliced)
50g pickled carrot
1 red chilli (sliced)
1/2 bunch coriander (picked)
chilli sauce (optional)
4 eggs
peanut oil for frying

Method

1. Split the fresh baguettes in half and smear the pate on one side of the bread, smear the other side with the mayonnaise, arrange slices of the pork onto the bread and then the cucumber. Mix the pickled carrot, chilli and coriander together and fill the sandwich with the salad.

2. Heat the pan over a high heat until very hot then add the oil, crack the eggs into the pan (the eggs should bubble and crisp quite quickly), cook for one minute before turning over and cooking again for another 30 seconds to 1 minute depending on how well you like your eggs cooked.

3. Place one egg in each of the baguettes, drizzle the chilli sauce over the top and serve.