Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Marinate the Shrimp
- Combine lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, sugar, and white pepper in a bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to coat completely. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. The lemongrass and fish sauce need time to penetrate the shrimp. Less than 30 minutes and the marinade stays on the surface. More than 2 hours and the fish sauce begins to break down the texture of the shrimp.
- Remove the shrimp from the refrigerator 10 minutes before cooking. Pat each shrimp dry with paper towel. Dry shrimp caramelize. Wet shrimp steam.
Cook the Shrimp
- Heat neutral oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat until smoking.
- Add the shrimp in a single layer. Do not crowd them. Cook for 90 seconds without moving until the underside develops a deep caramelized crust. Flip and cook for a further 60 seconds. The shrimp should be fully white and opaque throughout with a caramelized exterior and curled into a loose C shape. A tight O shape means overcooked. Remove from heat immediately.
- Transfer to a plate and rest for 2 minutes. Split each shrimp along the belly with a knife so it opens flat. The flat surface covers more of the bread and distributes the shrimp evenly across the length of the sandwich.
Assemble
- Split each baguette lengthwise, cutting three-quarters of the way through. Do not cut completely. The hinge holds the sandwich together.
- Spread the pâté across the bottom half of each baguette. Cover the full surface. The pâté provides the savory base that anchors the sweetness of the lemongrass shrimp above it.
- Spread the Vietnamese mayonnaise across the top half of each baguette.
- Lay the split shrimp flat across the pâté. Arrange them to cover the full length of the bread. Four to five shrimp per sandwich depending on size.
- Add the đồ chua directly on top of the shrimp. Drain it thoroughly. The acidity cuts through the sweetness of the caramelized marinade.
- Add cucumber strips along the length of the sandwich.
- Add a small bundle of cilantro. Do not chop it. Whole sprigs only.
- Lay jalapeño slices across the top. Three drops of Maggi Seasoning Sauce along the length. No more. Close the sandwich, press down firmly with your palm, and serve immediately.
Notes
On the shrimp size: 16 to 20 count per pound is the correct size for bánh mì tôm. Smaller shrimp cook too fast to develop a caramelized exterior and get lost inside the sandwich. Larger shrimp are correct but require splitting into smaller pieces to lay flat. The 16 to 20 count size splits cleanly and covers the bread in a single even layer.
On lemongrass preparation: Use the white part only. The outer leaves are tough and fibrous. Peel back two or three layers until you reach the pale yellow inner stalk. Mince it as finely as possible. Coarse lemongrass pieces do not soften during the short cooking time and create an unpleasant texture in the finished sandwich.
On drying the shrimp: Pat the shrimp completely dry before cooking. Moisture on the surface of the shrimp creates steam when it hits the hot pan. Steam prevents caramelization. A dry shrimp in a very hot pan develops the caramelized crust in 90 seconds. A wet shrimp in the same pan produces a grey, steamed result with no color and no crust.
On the C shape versus O shape: Shrimp curl as they cook. A loose C shape means the shrimp is cooked correctly. A tight O shape means it is overcooked and the texture inside will be rubbery. Watch the curl and remove from heat the moment the shrimp forms a C.
On marinating time: 30 minutes is the minimum. 1 hour produces a deeper lemongrass flavor. Do not marinate overnight. The fish sauce breaks down the shrimp texture beyond 2 hours and produces a soft, mushy result.
On make-ahead: The marinade can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated. The shrimp should be marinated and cooked just before assembling. Cooked shrimp does not reheat well in this sandwich. The texture changes significantly after refrigeration.