Banh Mi-ish Bowls + Ginger Sriracha Mayo
I recently had a banh mi for the first time. All I can say is now I can fully appreciate what all the hype is about. After that first sandwich, I was hooked so I set out to create my own version. And I know I'm not the first to create a banh mi bowl so I'm not re-inventing the wheel or anything but I wanted to put my spin on the traditional sandwich.
Even though a crusty french baguette is one of the quintessential ingredients of a traditional banh mi sandwich, I thought a bed of brown rice would be an (almost) equally delicious and lighter way to deliver the same flavors. I took a few creative liberties with the idea of a traditional banh mi, hence "banh mi-ish", but the spicy grilled chicken, sweet and sour flavors of the slaw paired with creamy and spicy ginger sriracha mayo and plenty of crunchy, fresh vegetables and aromatic herbs deliver that classic banh mi flavor.
Banh Mi-ish Bowls + Ginger Sriracha Mayo
makes 4 bowls
1 lb organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 c fish sauce
juice of two limes
1/4 c low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
2 T honey
3 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of red pepper flake
2 T avocado oil
2 c brown rice
1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
big handful cilantro, roughly chopped
a few radishes, thinly sliced
a few scallions, thinly sliced
1 english or persian cucumber, thinly sliced
Daikon Carrot Slaw
1 c daikon radish, julienned
2 large carrots, julienned
1/2 c water
1/2 c rice wine vinegar
1/4 c sugar
pinch of salt
Ginger Sriracha Mayo
1/2 c organic mayonnaise
1 T sriracha (or more if you like spice)
1 T honey
1 t fresh ginger, finely grated
Marinate the Chicken
Cover the chicken breast in wax paper then pound out with a mallet or the back of a heavy pot until uniformly thin, about 1/2 inch thick. Whisk together the fish sauce, tamari, lime juice, honey, garlic, and red pepper flakes. In a shallow bowl, pour the marinade over the chicken and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to overnight.
Make the Slaw
In a medium saucepan, heat the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt until sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool then combine the vegetables and brine in a large jar and refrigerate overnight until ready to assemble your bowls.
Make the Mayo
Whisk together the mayo, sriracha, honey, and ginger. Refrigerate.
Assemble the Bowls
Heat the coconut oil In a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and grill the chicken for about 5 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Allow to cool for a few minutes then slice. Add about 1/2 cup of brown rice to your bowl then add chicken, some slaw, jalapeño, cilantro, cucumber, radish, and scallion. Drizzle with sriracha ginger mayo.
