Instagrub: Sticky + Garlicky Korean Beef Noodles

And here's the last recipe to kick off our week of Asian dishes! Remember how I mentioned on Wednesday that I would post my Sticky + Garlicky Korean Beef Noodles? Well, here they are! There are very few recipes that we make more than once. My husband hates me for that because I'll make something so delicious, and then when he requests it again, I have to tell him that I've already made that and I'm a food blogger who needs to constantly come up with new recipes for all of my followers! However, there are a few exceptions to that argument, and one of them is certainly this Asian pasta dish. We have made these Korean Beef Noodles every week for the last six months! We think it's pretty easy-peasy to make and it makes enough to feed an army! The sauce is pretty straight forward, as I already went into how to make it on my post for the Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Sweet + Salty Sauce (literally, it is the exact same sauce). As for the pasta, I really love to use Trader Joe's Pappardelle Pasta for this recipe, but honestly, any kind of noodles will do! The most important cooking process is by far the beef component. I start off by cooking the ground beef in a cast iron skillet until it has just barely finished cooking, and then I drain the excess fat out of the pan, using a pasta strainer. While the beef is separating from the extra fat and liquid, wipe down the cast iron skillet, so that it is completely dry. Return the skillet to your stovetop and crank up the heat to as high as it will go. Once it is screeching hot, add the ground beef back in, along with the minced garlic. Quickly pour in half of the sweet + salty sauce and stir to coat the ground beef. I find that if you cook this at a very high heat, the sauce will perfectly caramelized onto the meat and deepen the flavor. Really all that is left to do is to combine all of the components... al dente pasta, caramelized onions, charred green onions, minced green onions, sweet + salty sauce, caramelized ground beef, + seasonings. We really like to overdo it with the minced, dried garlic, toasted sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes, so I'll leave that up to you on how much you want to put in. Now all you have to do is eat the Sticky + Garlicky Korean Beef Noodles while they are still hot!! Enjoy :)

For the Sweet + Salty Sauce:

1C Light Brown Sugar

½C Soy Sauce

¼C Hoisin Sauce

1T Toasted Sesame Oil

1-2T Sriracha (depending on how spicy you like it)

1T Rice Wine Vinegar

1t Freshly Grated Ginger

1t Red Pepper Flakes (less or more to your preferred spiciness)

4 Large Cloves of Garlic, Minced

For the Caramelized Onions:

2 Vidalia Onions, Sliced

4T Unsalted Butter

2T Vegetable Oil

1t Kosher Salt

1T Sugar

For the Korean Beef Noodles:

1T Canola Oil

2 Bunches of Green Onions (1 bunch finely sliced + 1 bunch cut into 1-inch pieces)

1T Toasted Sesame Oil

2-3lbs 80/20 Ground Chuck

4 Large Cloves of Garlic, Minced

16oz Pappardelle Noodles (I like Trader Joe’s brand, but really any kind of pasta will work)

2T Korean Chili Seasoning

Prepared Sweet + Salty Sauce

Prepared Caramelized Onions

2T Minced, Dried Garlic (or to taste, but we love adding a bunch to this pasta)

1T Toasted Sesame Seeds

1t Red Pepper Flakes (this is optional, but you can add more or less to your liking)

Directions:

1. For the Sweet + Salty Sauce: In a small pot, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until it is well incorporated. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-low heat, making sure to continuously whisk. Reduce to a simmer and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the sauce cool for a few minutes. Repeat this process of bringing it to a boil and simmering the sauce three more times. After you have done this, allow the sauce to cool while you make the Korean Beef Noodles.

2. For the Caramelized Onions: Heat the butter and oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add in the sliced onions, salt, and sugar. Cook for 10 minutes, and then reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to caramelize, stirring occasionally, for 20 more minutes. The onions should be browned and caramelized. If at all during the cooking the onions begin to darken or burn, just add a few tablespoons of water. After they are done, turn off the heat and leave the caramelized onions in the pot.

3. Charring the Green Onions: In a cast iron skillet, over high heat, add in the canola oil. Take the one bunch of green onions that were cut into 1-inch pieces (leave the other bunch of thinly sliced green onions uncooked) and put them in the searing hot pan. Stir the onions around for a minute or two until they have begun to char and slightly soften. Remove the charred green onions from the pan and place them into the pot with the caramelized onions.

4. Preparing the Pasta: Boil your pasta according to the package directions. Once they have cooked to al dente, strain the noodles and add them into the pot with the onions. Sprinkle the Korean chili seasoning on top of the pasta and toss to combine all of the ingredients in the pot (that way the noodles won’t stick together).

5. Cooking the Ground Beef: Heat 1T of toasted sesame oil, in the same cast iron skillet that you charred the green onions in, over medium-high heat. Add in the ground beef and cook until just browned, about 5 minutes. Make sure to crumble the beef as it cooks, so smaller pieces form. Drain the excess fat out of the pan. Return the cast iron pan to high heat. Once it has gotten extremely hot, add the cooked, crumbled beef back into the pan, along with the garlic. Stir this mixture around for 1-2 minutes. Quickly pour half of the sweet + salty sauce over the ground beef and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Cooking at such a high temperature will help the sauce to caramelize into the beef and deepen the flavor.

6. Finishing the Korean Beef Noodles: Pour the sauced, caramelized beef over the pasta in the large pot, and then drizzle in the remaining sweet + salty sauce and add in the finely sliced green onions. Using tongs, toss together all of the ingredients until they are evenly incorporated. Season the pasta with the dried minced garlic, toasted sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes. Mix everything together and serve while the noodles are still hot!

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Sweet + Salty Sauce

We've been on a real Asian kick this week when it comes to cooking dinner. Sometime in the next few days, I'll post my Garlicky Korean Beef Noodles, which have become a weekly meal for the last 6 months. But today, we're going to talk about chicken lettuce wraps. Lettuce wraps are a must for me whenever we go out to a restaurant, so why not make my own version at home? This recipe is pretty easy when it comes to cooking other dishes on my food blog, although you will do a lot of chopping. But if you have another person helping you, y'all will be done in no time! I started off by making my go-to sweet + salty sauce (that also goes on the Korean Beef Noodles) and all you have to worry about is bring it to a boil, reducing it to a simmer, whisking continuously, and letting it cool. You'll repeat that cooking process 3-4 times until the sauce is smooth and has reduced slightly. After you have done that, just let the sauce cool in the small pot until you are ready to pour it over the chicken. Now, I have a pretty firm belief that everyone likes chicken, but if you are that one person who doesn't, then just trade out the ground chicken for ground pork and ground beef. Now let's talk about all the vegetables. We were recently eating out at one of our favorite thai restaurants and they have the most glorious chicken lettuce wraps. Something a little different that they include are red + green bell peppers. Both my husband and I enjoyed that addition so much, that I had to put some peppers into my chicken-vegetable mixture. It is important though, that you dice up the sweet onions and bell peppers to the same size, so that they will all cook for the same time. Once those vegetables have become slightly softened and somewhat translucent, throw in the minced fresh garlic, diced water chestnuts, minced green onions, fresh basil, minced dried garlic, toasted sesame seeds, toasted sesame oil, and some red pepper flakes. Stir it all together and let it cook for a minute or two. Now, all that is left to do is to pour some of the sauce over the chicken mixture until everything is coated. I would suggest starting with half the sauce and working your way up because you don't want an overwhelmingly large amount drowning your chicken + veggies. The goal here is to add just the right amount of sauce to your liking, that way the chicken lettuce wraps taste light and delicious. All that there is left to do is to assemble them. Get a piece of butter lettuce, spoon in some of the sauced chicken mixture on top, drizzle with a little bit of extra sauce, and garnish with a pinch of minced, dried garlic, red pepper flakes, and toasted crushed peanuts. Voila, you have made yourself a real crowd pleasing recipe! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! 

For the Sweet + Salty Sauce:

1C Light Brown Sugar

½C Soy Sauce

¼C Hoisin Sauce

2T Toasted Sesame Oil + 2T Sriracha

1T Rice Wine Vinegar

1t Freshly Grated Ginger

1t Red Pepper Flakes (less or more to your preferred spiciness)

For the Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps:

Prepared Sweet + Salty Sauce

4T Vegetable Oil (separated)

2lbs Ground Chicken

2 Sweet Onions, Diced

1 Red Bell Pepper + 1 Green Pepper, Diced

1t Salt

8oz Sliced Water Chestnuts, Diced

8 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

2 Bunches of Green Onions, Minced

¼C Fresh Basil, Minced

2T Minced Dried Garlic (plus more for garnishing)

1T Toasted Sesame Seeds (plus more for garnishing)

Red Pepper Flakes (to your preferred spiciness)

1T Toasted Sesame Oil

1-2 Butter Head Lettuce

Toasted, Crushed Peanuts, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. For the Sweet + Salty Sauce: In a small pot, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until it is well incorporated. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-low heat, making sure to continuously whisk. Reduce to a simmer and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the sauce cool for a few minutes. Repeat this process of bringing it to a boil and simmering the sauce three more times. After you have done this, allow the sauce to cool while you make the chicken lettuce wraps.

2. Cooking the Chicken: Heat 2T oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in the ground chicken and cook until just browned, about 5-7 minutes. Make sure to crumble the chicken as it cooks, so smaller pieces form. Drain the excess fat out of the pan and set aside the cooked chicken while you sauté the vegetables.

3. Making the Asian Chicken: In a large pot, heat the other 2T of oil over medium-high heat. Add in the diced onions, diced red bell pepper, diced green pepper, and the salt. Sauté these vegetables for about 5-10 minutes, until they have cooked down and gave become translucent. Next, toss in the diced water chestnuts, minced garlic, and minced green onions. Stir everything so that it is all mixed together. Bring the heat up to high and let it cook on that temperature for a minute. Drizzle in half of the reduced sweet + salty sauce, stirring to make sure the lettuce wrap mixture is completely coated in the sauce. Lastly, finish off the dish by throwing in the fresh minced basil, minced dried garlic, toasted sesame seeds, as much or as little red pepper flakes that you like, and toasted sesame oil. Turn off the heat and taste the sauced, ground chicken-vegetable mixture. If you think the chicken needs more sauce, salt, or red pepper flakes, then add it to your liking.

4. Assembling the Chicken Lettuce Wraps: Pull off the individual leaves of butter lettuce and wash and dry them. Place the lettuce leaves onto a plate, and then spoon some of the chicken mixture into each leaf. Garnish the top of the chicken lettuce wraps with a drizzle of the sweet + salty sauce, dried minced garlic, pinch of red pepper flakes, and some toasted, crushed peanuts. Enjoy the lettuce wraps while they are still hot (but they are just as delicious if you serve them cold)!

#instagrub : Spicy Nam Tok Beef Salad with Roasted Peanuts

Spicy Nam Tok Beef Salad with Roasted Peanuts

2014 is gonna start off with a bang y'all!! We're moving on up to bigger + better things over here at PLC and it all begins with this Spicy Nam Tok Beef Salad recipe... with roasted peanuts! We swoon over Thai food, I prefer it over any Asian-inspired cuisine, and this our go-to order. It starts off with a sweet, tangy, zesty, spicy, salty, well err everthing kinda vinaigrette/marinade. The mixture includes soy sauce, fish sauce, hoisin, rice wine vinegar, lime, sesame oil, sugar, honey, and seasonings. Then, a'whole'bunch of veggies are added in, like... red onions, shallots, baby cucumber, garlic, ginger, green onion, and spicy jalapenos. Finally it's the vinaigrette is finished off with some fresh herbs and a big pile of medium rare seared filet. You let this "salad"marinate for 4-6 hours until the meat has absorbed the flavors and soaked up a bunch of juice. It stays nice n' plump n' moist for like ever... probably because it's extra-tender filet mignon, who can't get on board with that?! I'm in love with the entire dish, especially the contrast of temperature between the sweet & the heat, as well as the warmth of the roasted peanuts against the cold, crisp salad. Traditionally, it is served with a big pile of cabbage leaves, some sticky rice, more roasted peanuts, and some peanut sauce for drizzling. We like to turn them into killer lettuce wraps and just nosh on them all night! What's great about this recipe is that it's extremely versatile in that it can be served as an appetizer or as a main dish. You could also toss the Nam Tok Beef with some coleslaw or even lo mein to make an Asian chopped salad-- um yum!! Enjoy y'all :)

beginning of the vinaigrette

perfectly seared filet mignon

time to marinate... 

plumped up, garnished with roasted peanuts, & ready to eat!!

For the Nam Tok Beef:

2 8oz Filet Mignons, Cooked Medium-Rare + Thinly Sliced

Half of a Small Red Onion, Shaved

Half of a Shallot, Shaved

5 Green Onions, Thinly Sliced

3 Large Garlic Cloves, Minced

1T Fresh Ginger, Minced

¼C Soy Sauce + Honey

2T Fish Sauce + Sesame Oil

¼C Dark Brown Sugar

2T Sambal Oelek + Rice Wine Vinegar

1T Asian Spice Mix, Red Pepper Flakes, & Crushed Szechuan Peppercorns

1t Peanut Butter Powder

1 Fresh Chili or Jalapeno, Thinly Shaved

1 Small Cucumber, Thinly Sliced

¼C Pickled Shallots

2 Limes, Zested & Juiced

½C Cabbage, Thinly Shaved

A Small Handful of Fresh Cilantro + Fresh Mint, Finely Minced

¼C Chopped Roasted Peanuts (plus extra for topping)

Cabbage Leaves, For Serving (like lettuce wraps)

Directions:

1. For the Steaks: Season your filets with fleur de sel and fresh cracked pepper and heat a pan over high heat. Cook the steaks to the temperature to medium-rare. Let them rest. Thinly slice the steak and let them cool completely on the cutting board. Meanwhile prepare your marinade.

2. For the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, fish sauce, sesame oil, sambal Oelek, rice wine vinegar, spices, peanut butter powder, and lime zest. Add in the shaved red onion and shallot, green onions, garlic, ginger, jalapeno, cucumber, and pickled shallots. Mix together all of the ingredients and toss to combine and coat. Next, add in the room temperature sliced steak. Marinate for at least 4-6 hours in order for the flavoring to permeate the meat.

3. For Serving: Right before serving, add in fresh squeezed lime juice of the two zested limes, shaved cabbage, minced cilantro and mint, and chopped roasted peanuts. Serve the Nam Tok Beef Salad with cabbage leaves to eat like lettuce wraps. 

Pok Pok Lacquered Fried Chicken Banh Mi Sandwiches with Crispy Garlic, Homemade Red Rooster Aioli, Sweet + Spicy Pickle Coleslaw, Fresh Cilantro, & Buttered Brioche Buns

Pok Pok Lacquered Fried Chicken Banh Mi Sandwiches with Crispy Garlic, Homemade Red Rooster Aioli,
Sweet + Spicy Pickle Coleslaw, Fresh Cilantro, & Buttered Brioche Buns

Sandwiches are like love stories, or I think they are. They're lovey-dovey kind of stuff. Have y'all seen that Zaxby's commercial where she loves one of their zalads salads so much that she married it? It's completely plausible in my book, but if I'm going to marry anything it's either going to be a sandwich or chocolate of some sort. If my Mountain Man were to be a sandwich, I would want him to be a fancy fried chicken sandwich with a yummy coleslaw + toasted bun or a Banh Mi. So, if we're gonna talk marriage, we might as well marry the two together, and that's exactly what I did. Wayyyyyy back in March, I made caramel glazed pork belly banh mi's and my my, they were mighty fine. One of the best things I've concocted between two pieces of bread, so I wanted to use a few elements for my fried chicken version. The homemade red rooster aioli is a must, for anything really. And I knew that I wanted the chicken glazed or drizzled with a sweet + sticky sauce and I eventually decided on adapting this recipe. It worked out perfectly. After you batter & fry the chicken cutlets, you make a caramel with fish sauce, soy sauce, honey, sriracha, etc. And then dunk them into this asian caramel a few times until they are thoroughly coated + extra sticky. Instead of a simple sauce or dip, this gives the chicken a lacquered finish. If you didn't know already, any time food is lacquered, it pretty much means it looks like liquid gold. Brilliant. All that was left was a simple garnish of crispy minced garlic rounds out the flavor and gives it a tad more crunch. Between the buttered brioche bun, spicy aioli, lacquered chicken, and fresh cilantro, these are sure to become a household favorite. 

lacquered + topped with crispy garlic chips

place it on a buttered brioche with a slather of aioli

the sweet + spicy pickle coleslaw is the best part

don't forget a whole lot of fresh cilantro

oh my, you're gonna demolish it

homemade red rooster aioli

The best part? Oh by far, the sweet + spicy pickle coleslaw. This will be a go-to side this summer... and I especially can't wait to adapt it with BBQ inspired flavors for pulled pork sandwiches. All you do is toss a big mess of coleslaw with homemade sriracha-bread n' butter pickles, candied jalapenos, and spicy taco pickles along with some of their pickling liquid, and you've got the best vinaigrette coleslaw you could ever imagine. 

sweet + spicy pickle coleslaw

If you don't have all those pickles around like I do, then you could surely make do with what you have in the pantry... as long as they are asian-inspired & flavored. I let the mixture marinate for an hour or so, that way the flavors could marry together. All that is left is plopping a big scoopful on top of the chicken, and it's done. Or you could be like us and eat half of the coleslaw out of the mixing bowl before the sandwich is even finished. True story. These sandwiches are so damn good... you might just marry them. Just like us!! Enjoy :)

For the Marinated Chicken Cutlets:

4 Thin Chicken Cutlets (pounded out lightly)

1C Hot Water

2 Cloves of Garlic, Roughly Chopped

1C Sugar

½C Fish Sauce + Soy Sauce

Pinch of Cinnamon

¼t Salt

1 Star Anise Pod or Seed

For the Homemade Red Rooster Aioli:

1 Egg Yolk

1t White Vinegar

1 ½t Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

¼t Dijon Mustard & Sugar

1 Garlic Clove, Minced into a Paste (with a little bit of sea salt)

½t Salt

¾C Canola Oil

2T Asian Chili-Garlic Sauce

½t Cayenne

½t Homemade Sriracha Cajun Seasoning 

For the Sweet + Spicy Pickle Coleslaw:

4C Coleslaw Mix or Thinly Sliced Cabbage

2 Jalapenos, Thinly Sliced (optional)

1 Bunch of Green Onions, Thinly Sliced

½C Homemade Sriracha Bread n’ Butter Pickles + ¼C of the Pickling Liquid

1C Homemade “Taco Pickles” + 2T of the Pickling Liquid

½C Homemade Candied Jalapenos + 2T of the Candied Liquid

For the Coleslaw Dressing:

¼C Sriracha Bread n’ Butter Pickling Liquid (reserved from earlier)

2T “Taco Pickles” Pickling Liquid (reserved from earlier)

2T Candied Jalapeno Liquid (reserved from earlier)

1T Sesame Oil

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Crispy Fried Chicken:

2C AP Flour

¼C + 2T Cornstarch

1t Chinese Five Spice Powder

Marinated Chicken Cutlets

½C Panko Breadcrumbs 

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

1C Buttermilk

Peanut Oil, For Frying

To Make the Pok Pok Lacquering Caramel:

4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

1T Fresh Ginger, Minced

2T Vegetable Oil

¼C Fish Sauce + ¼C Soy Sauce 

¼C Sugar + ¼C Honey

¼C Chili-Garlic Sauce (depending on how spicy you want it)

Fried Minced Garlic, For Garnishing

For the Banh Mi Sandwiches:

Buttered Brioche Buns, Warmed

Pok Pok Lacquered-Crispy Fried Chicken Cutlets, Hot

Prepared Red Rooster Aioli

Prepared Sweet + Spicy Pickle Coleslaw

Fresh Cilantro Sprigs

Directions:

1. For the Marinated Chicken Cutlets: In a small bowl, steep the crushed garlic and salt with the hot water for roughly 5 minutes. After waiting, whisk in the fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar until all of it is completely mixed and the sugar has dissolved. Let this mixture cool completely before marinating the cutlets (I let mine chill in the refrigerator until cold). Once the marinade is cold, place the chicken cutlets into a plastic bag (or large container) and pour the cold marinade over the chicken, tossing to coat completely. Marinate them for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight to enhance the flavor and juiciness (making sure you toss the wings occasionally throughout the process, so that they are evenly covered). Once the wings have marinated for your desired time, remove the chicken from the liquid and completely pat them dry of any excess liquid.

2. For the Red Rooster Aioli: Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, minced garlic, and ½t salt in medium bowl. Whisk until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds. Using ¼t measuring spoon and whisking constantly, add ¼C of the oil to yolk mixture, a few drops at a time, about 4-5 minutes. Gradually add remaining ½C canola oil in very slow thin stream, whisking constantly, until mayonnaise is thick, about 8-10 minutes (mayonnaise will be lighter in color). Season the mayo with Asian chili-garlic sauce, sugar, cayenne, and Sriracha Cajun seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use.

3. For the Sweet + Spicy Pickle Coleslaw: In a large mixing bowl, toss together the jalapenos, green onions, Sriracha pickles, taco pickles, candied jalapenos, and the dressing components. Add the coleslaw mixture and season with salt & pepper. Toss to cover and combine, and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

4. For the Crispy Fried Chicken: Pour about 1 inch of peanut oil into a large heavy skillet and heat to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, panko, five-spice powder, salt, and pepper in a dish. Pour the buttermilk into another dish. Working with 1 marinated chicken cutlet at a time, dredge them into the flour mixture, shaking off the excess, and then dip them into the buttermilk, allowing the excess to drop off. Dredge back into the flour mixture again, shaking one last time. Fry the chicken cutlets until golden brown and crispy, about 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack and sprinkle with salt. Now, it’s time to make the lacquering caramel.

5. To Make the Pok Pok Lacquering Caramel: In a wok, heat the 2T oil to medium heat and add in the minced garlic, cooking them until golden brown without burning them, about 2-3 minutes (keep a close eye because burnt garlic tastes awful). Remove the fried garlic from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain it on a paper towel, while you make the caramel. In the oiled wok, bring the pan to medium heat and add in the ginger, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. As the sugar begins to melt, the mixture will start to thicken up into a syrupy consistency, about 5 minutes. Once it starts to thicken, whisk in the honey and chili-garlic sauce until smooth and thick (don’t let the sauce unattended because it will burn). Add in the fried cutlets and toss in the sauce until they are coated and sticky.

6. Assembling the Sandwiches: Generously spread the buttered brioche buns with the Homemade Red Rooster Aioli. Layer on the pok pok lacquered-crispy fried chicken cutlets, sweet + spicy pickle coleslaw, and sprigs of fresh cilantro. Top the sandwiches with the top piece of the bun, and enjoy immediately!

Revamped: Caramel Glazed Pork Belly Banh Mi’s with Asian Pickled Carrots + Daikon, Sriracha Bread n’ Butter Pickles, Fresh Jalapeno + Candied Jalapeno, Fresh Cilantro, and a Homemade Red Rooster Aioli on Crispy, Garlic-Rubbed Bread

Caramel Glazed Pork Belly Banh Mi’s with Asian Pickled Carrots + Daikon, 

Sriracha Bread n’ Butter Pickles, Fresh Jalapeno + Candied Jalapeno, Fresh Cilantro, 

and a Homemade Red Rooster Aioli on Crispy, Garlic-Rubbed Bread

This sandwich is epic. On every single level. I could sit here and tell you about my deep-rooted love for fatty pork belly, but even then, I don't think y'all would understand the magnitude of its' greatness. We had our first pork belly banh mi at one of our favorite little cafe in Atlanta called Star Provisions. I mean, every single one of their sandwiches are top notch, but that banh mi was life-changing. Their bread was perfectly toasted and slathered in a spicy mayo, and then it was stuffed with pickled Asian vegetables, spicy peppers, and glazed pork belly. I had tried once before to recreate this sandwich at home, but it just did not measure up and I knew I would revamp it some day down the road. Well, the other day, I woke up ambitious... today was the day. The task ahead was certainly daunting because I wanted to make every single component from scratch (naturally). Let's start with the caramel glazed pork belly, which is the most important part of the entire recipe. I cut the belly into cubes and braised them in classic Asian ingredients like fish sauce, Sriracha, and garlic. This braising caramel softens and cooks the pork, but also lends a gorgeous mahogany color. Every little glistening piece of glazed pork belly looks like a shiny jewel. What doesn't sound good about that? Next, you gotta focus on the pickled vegetables. All banh mi's must have carrots, daikon, and cucumbers. For the carrots + daikon, I used one of my favorite quick pickle recipes with Asian ingredients. I personally hate cucumbers, so I substituted in some of my homemade Sriracha-Bread n' Butter Pickles. They are spicy, sweet, crunchy, and Asian-inspired, so they were the perfect addition. As for what brings the heat to the sandwich comes from fresh jalapenos, candied jalapenos, and the Homemade Red Rooster Aioli. I know that I have declared my undying love for candied jalapenos, and it's obviously apparent because I include them in almost every recipe I make. Oh and this aioli... this stuff is what dreams are made of. Whipping up mayo might be a process, but I feel that is so worth it. It is studded with a whole mess of minced garlic and Asian chili-garlic sauce. And hey, the aioli is perfectly pink, which I kinda-sorta-really dig. Now, it's time to talk bread. Bread isn't just a vehicle for food delivery anymore, it should be planned carefully. We chose some small baguettes, sliced them in half, brushed them with oil, and toasted them until they were crunchy and golden brown in color. While they are still hot, grab a large clove of garlic and rub the toasted bread for extra flavor and a yummy garlic aroma. Lastly, you have to bring some fresh herbs in to the picture... cilantro is a classic choice, but we have used Thai basil and it was delicious as well. And that's it folks. That's all you have to do to be in sandwich heaven, like us. It might be an intimidating recipe, but the results are worth the hard work. Gluttony at its best, trust me!! Enjoy :)

Lots of Red Rooster Aioli + Jalapenos 

Perfectly Layered.

Isn't the color contrast ridiculous? Do. Not. Leave. Out. The. Cilantro.

Soooo good, y'all. Don't miss out on this. 

For the Caramel Glazed Pork Belly:

2T Vegetable Oil

2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

¼C Each of Fish Sauce, Soy Sauce, Sugar, & Honey

¼-½C Sriracha (depending on how spicy you want it)

2lbs Pork Belly, Cut into 1inch Cubes

2T Vegetable Oil

2 Large Shallots, Minced

2 Garlic Cloves, Minced

2T Fish Sauce

1-2C Water (or enough to just barely cover the pork belly cubes in the pot)

½t Black Peppercorns

3T Sugar

2T Warm Water

For the Asian Pickled Carrots + Daikon:

2C Rice Wine Vinegar

2/3C Brown Sugar

¼C Fresh Lime Juice

1T Salt

½t Red Pepper Flakes

1lb Daikon & Carrots, Peeled & Thinly Sliced into Wheels

Homemade Red Rooster Aioli:

1 Egg Yolk

1t White Vinegar

1 ½t Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

¼t Dijon Mustard & Sugar

1 Garlic Clove, Minced into a Paste (with a little bit of sea salt)

½t Salt

¾C Canola Oil

2T Asian Chili-Garlic Sauce or Sriracha

½t Cayenne

½t Homemade Sriracha Cajun Seasoning  

For the Crispy, Garlic-Rubbed Bread:

4 Small Loaves or Rolls, Sliced in Half

Vegetable oil or Sesame Oil, For Brushing

Chinese Five-Spice Powder, For Sprinkling

1 Large Garlic Clove, For Rubbing

For the Caramel Glazed Pork Belly Banh Mi’s:

Prepared Caramel Glazed Pork Belly Cubes, Warm

Homemade Red Rooster Aioli

Asian Pickled Carrots + Daikon

Homemade Sriracha Bread n’ Butter Pickles

Candied Jalapeno Slices

Fresh Jalapeno, Thinly Sliced

Fresh Cilantro Sprigs

Crispy, Garlic-Rubbed Bread (toasted & hot)

Directions:

1. For the Caramel Glazed Pork Belly: In a sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add in the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add in the fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. As the sugar begins to melt, the mixture will start to thicken up into a syrupy consistency, about 5 minutes. Once it starts to thicken, whisk in the honey and Sriracha until smooth and thick (don’t let the sauce unattended because it will burn). Set aside to thicken while you prepare the pork belly. In a deep pot, bring the oil to medium heat. Add in the shallots and slowly cook for 1 minute, then add in the garlic. Cook both until soft and fragrant. Add the pork belly cubes and cook for about 10-15 minutes until they have started to brown. Toss in the fish sauce and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add in the water, along with the peppercorns, until it just covers the pork cubes. Reduce the heat to low and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Gently stir in the previously made caramel that has thickened. Continue to braise the pork on medium-low heat for about an hour, while stirring occasionally. After it has finished braising, pour out the braising liquid, only leaving about 2 inches of it still with the cooked pork. Now, it is time to make a second caramel. In a small pot, whisk together the sugar and warm water over medium heat. The sugar will begin to melt and then turn into a golden brown caramel. Quickly pour the caramel over the pork belly and mix with a wooden spoon until it has all been incorporated. Turn the heat up to medium to reduce and caramelized the pork, about 20-30 minutes. The cubes will be cooked though, but still tender, and will have a dark caramel color with a thick glaze. Remove from the heat and keep it warm until you are ready to serve.

2. For the Asian Pickled Carrots + Daikon: Combine the vinegar, sugar, limejuice, salt, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil until the sugar as dissolved. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Combine the Daikon and carrots in clean mason jars. Pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetables and let them pickle for at least an hour before serving (preserve the other jars that you don’t use). When you are ready to layer them onto the sandwich, remove them from the pickling liquid and lightly pat them dry (this will help to avoid making your sandwich soggy when eating it).

3. For the Red Rooster Aioli: Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, minced garlic, and ½t salt in medium bowl. Whisk until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds. Using ¼t measuring spoon and whisking constantly, add ¼C e oil to yolk mixture, a few drops at a time, about 4-5 minutes. Gradually add remaining ½C canola oil in very slow thin stream, whisking constantly, until mayonnaise is thick, about 8-10 minutes (mayonnaise will be lighter in color). Season the mayo with Asian chili-garlic sauce, sugar, cayenne, and Sriracha Cajun seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use.

4. For the Crispy, Garlic-Rubbed Bread: Place the bread on a baking sheet and brush them heavily with some oil. Lightly sprinkle the top with a little of Chinese Five-Spice Powder. Toast in the oven until golden brown and crispy. Immediately rub the crispy bread with a fresh garlic clove. Now, it’s time to assemble the sandwiches.

5. Assembling the Sandwiches: Generously spread the slices of bread with the Homemade Red Rooster Aioli. Layer on the caramel pork belly cubes, daikon, carrots, Sriracha Bread n’ Butter Pickles, fresh jalapeno, candied jalapeno, and sprigs of fresh cilantro. Top the sandwiches with the top piece of bread and enjoy immediately!

source: caramel braised pork belly.