Bánh Mì

Yes. Use boneless chicken thighs sliced 3–4 mm thick and marinate them 15 minutes at the least, 30 if you can. The marinade is built on the same lemongrass, garlic and fish sauce base as the pork chop in cơm tấm. Fry in a hot, oiled pan for 2–3 minutes per side until the edges brown and no pink remains. Thighs stay juicier than breast, which dries out quickly if the slices are thick.

Fish sauce brings salt and savoury depth. For 1 teaspoon, use 1 extra teaspoon of soy sauce and a pinch of salt, which is closest in saltiness; the flavour is rounder and less pungent. Worcestershire sauce also works, but it contains anchovies, so skip it for a fish allergy. I would not use balsamic vinegar: it adds sweetness and acidity, not salt, and the sugars scorch in a hot pan.

Use more carrot, or ordinary radishes cut into matchsticks; they are a little more peppery than daikon. Kneading the matchsticks with salt and sugar for 2–3 minutes and draining them before adding the brine is what keeps them crunchy. In a closed jar in the fridge, covered with brine, the pickles keep for 1–2 weeks and taste better after a day. Leftovers go well in bún chả.

No. Traditional bánh mì pâté is made from liver, so it is not vegetarian. Replace the pork with 200 g firm tofu: press it for 15 minutes, slice it and marinate in the lemongrass mix with extra soy sauce instead of fish sauce. Fry 4–5 minutes per side in oil until golden. For the spread, use mushroom pâté or just mayonnaise (egg-free mayonnaise if you need it vegan).

Warm the baguettes in a 200°C oven for 3–5 minutes just before filling, and assemble only when you are ready to eat. The pickles can be made a day or more ahead, and the cooked pork keeps 2 days in the fridge; reheat it in a hot pan for 1–2 minutes. For a lunch box, pack bread, pork, pickles and herbs separately and build the sandwich at the table.