…AND CRUNCHY VIETNAMESE MANGO SLAW!

Don’t let the long list of ingredients put you off, this is actually very easy, there are just a few steps that need to be taken, and believe me you won’t be sorry. Because these Lemon grass and Ginger grilled Chicken Banh Mi are the business!
The smell in my kitchen when I was grilling the chicken was incredible…
Grilling the chicken gives it an amazing caramelized crispy sticky outside. Serve on a warm baguette with crunchy Vietnamese Slaw and drizzle with the ginger lime Sriracha mayo. Full of sweet, savoury, sour and spicy notes
Good times, I promise!
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SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS BANH MI:

• 4 Baguettes
• Grilled Chicken, sliced
• Vietnamese Slaw
• Ginger Lime Sriracha Mayo
• Cucumber, about half, sliced
• Cilantro (Koriander) , a handful. Roughly chopped
• Lots of paper napkins!

CHICKEN:
• 1 pounds chicken breasts or thighs, de-boned

MARINADE:
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 tbsp. coconut sugar
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
• 2 tsp. fresh peeled and grated ginger
• 1 lemongrass stalk, bashed with the side of a meat hammer
• 1 tablespoon chopped Thai (or Sweet) basil
• 1 tsp. hot sauce
• Zest and juice of 1 medium lime
• 1 garlic clove , minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• Cooking oil spray
• Freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:
1. Whisk all marinade ingredients together in a measuring cup. Pour over chicken thighs or breasts and seal bag or place in a large dish and cover.
2. Marinate for at one hour or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
3. Remove from fridge and bring to room temperature one hour before grilling.
4. Heat your griddle pan.
5. Remove chicken from bag. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Discard marinade.
6. Spray both sides of thighs with oil. Place on griddle pan.
7. Season generously with black pepper.
8. Grill for about 2 minutes on each side on high.
9. Lower the heat.
10. Continue grilling until thighs are done, about 7 to 10 minutes more. Chicken will feel firm to the touch. Let rest for 5 minutes before cutting.

VIETNAMESE MANGO SLAW:
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• 2 medium carrots, cut in to julienne
• 1/2 Mango, peeled and cut in to julienne
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1/2 bunch coriander, washed
• 1/2 bunch Thai basil
• 1 long red chili, de-seeded
• 1/2 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, peeled and grated
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp. ginger syrup (from the jar of candied stem ginger)

METHOD SLAW:
1. Place cabbage in a bowl with the spring onions, bean sprouts and carrots. Roughly chop the coriander and Thai basil and add to the bowl. Cut the chilli in half then cut across into fine strips.
2. Add the chilli to the bowl.
3. Place the remaining ingredients into a small jar and shake well until the sugar has dissolved. Dress the salad.
4. Put on some plastic disposable gloves and start mixing well with your hands – make sure it all gets covered in dressing or it will taste bland.

GINGER LIME SRIRACHA MAYO:
• 3/4 cup Mayo
• 1 piece candied stem ginger in syrup, finely chopped or grated
• 2 tsp. Sriracha sauce
• Juice of half a lime
METHOD MAYO:
1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix with a spoon.

TO ASSEMBLE THE BANH MI:
Pre heat the oven to 200° C / 400° F
1. Slightly dampen the baguettes with a little water. Wrap them in foil and heat them in the oven for about 10 minutes.
2. Remove from oven. Remove foil and discard.
3. Carefully slice open. Hot!
4. Spread a generous amount of the Ginger Lime Sriracha mayo on the bottom of the baguette.
5. Then a layer of sliced cucumber.
6. Then the grilled chicken.
7. Top with Vietnamese Slaw
8. Sprinkle over some cilantro
9. Drizzle over some more mayo
10. Put the top of the Baguette on.

Serve with plenty of paper napkins!

Enjoy!
Myra XO