Vietnamese/Ethiopian Banh Mi Sandwich – A Flavorful Fusion of Asian and African Traditions
Vietnamese Bahn Mi is a hearty, delicious sandwich that combines crispy and soft elements with spicy and fragrant. Vietnam retains some of the culinary influences of the French colonization of the country, which explains why this amazing sandwich is served between layers of a crispy French baguette. Some of the requisites of the dish are that it must contain sliced cucumbers, some kind of meat filling, a layer of sweet and sour pickled daikon and carrots, a layer of jalepeño peppers, and finally topped with fresh cilantro.
Typically, when this recipe is veganized, the meat is replaced with tofu, either fried or soft. In my version, I am fusing the traditional Vietnamese elements with a spicy flavor-packed Ethiopian sautéed mushroom and onion dish called Ingudai Tibs. The combination of the two is fantastic.! You may, of course, tone down the spice if you prefer a milder taste but for you spice lovers out there, this will knock your socks off!



Vietnamese-Ethiopian Banh Mi Fusion
Ingredients
- 1 French Bread Loaf or Baguette
- 1/2-3/4 cup Ingudai Tibs
- 1/4-1/2 cup Sweet and Sour Pickled Daikon and Carrots, liquid drained off
- 3-4 slices cucumber, cut on an angle
- 2-3 tablespoons Cashew Cream Cheese
- 1/2 cup loosely chopped cilantro
- 1-2 teaspoons Ana's Hot Sauce may substitute sriracha
Instructions
To make the Spicy Cashew Cream Cheese Sauce:
- In a small bowl, whisk in Ana's Hot Sauce with two tablespoons Cashew Cream Cheese until you achieve a creamy consistency. (You can omit the hot sauce and use just the cashew cream cheese. Whisk in a little water to thin if needed.)
To make the sandwich:
- Turn French bread on its side and cut in half lengthwise with a serrated bread knife. Lay sides open on a plate with crust facing down.
- Spread Cashew Cream Cheese Sauce on both sides. Then layer ingredients in the following manner beginning with the bottom slice of the French bread:
- Layer 1: cucumber slices
- Layer 2: Ingudai Tibs (sauteed mushrooms)
- Layer 3: Sweet and Sour Pickled Daikon and Carrots
- Layer 4: jalapeño pepper slices
- Layer 5: cilantro
- Top with the remaining piece of French bread.
Notes

Nutrition
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The links don’t work
Hi, Dawna,
Thanks for the heads up! I’m not sure which links you are referring to though. I did find a Youtube link that wasn’t working and we fixed that one. On my end, it seems that all the rest are working. If you can point me to the particular links you are referring to, I’ll get right on it.
Thanks again!!
Danielle