Banh Mi (My version of the Vietnamese sandwich)

My version of the popular Vietnamese sandwich is a cross-cultural version. 
You see, I no longer live in an area with a sizable Vietnamese population, and  I miss  my favorite Vietnamese foods.  But none are to to be found within a 2+ hour drive from my home. :(
What's a girl to do??
Well, improvise!
Not exactly authentic, but close enough for my tastes and the bonus is, this one uses a favorite of mine Carnitas which I normally have on hand in the freezer. 

Carnitas: A Mexican dish of little pieces of simmered and browned pork. Usually just seasoned with salt (and maybe some black pepper). I love carnitas!
Carnitas, also lend themselves to a number of other recipes . . .  So when I make a batch I always make extra as the meat  freezes and reheats beautifully, it can be tucked  into a warm tortilla, & topped with salsa for a satisfying snack or meal,  I've also used it as a filling for enchiladas, burritos and tamales, etc.   And you can shred the pork and add your favorite BBQ sauce,  while you reheat it,  it is a very flavorful filling in pulled pork sandwiches.

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For my adulterated version of Banh Mi,  I shredded the  carnitas and added just a bit of water  to keep the meat moist while heating in a pan on the stovetop,  and also added a bit of Asian-style sauce.    I used Mr. Yoshida's original sauce -- I just added a little while warming the meat . Taste and add more sauce (and water)  if necessary,  until you are pleased with the flavor (and juiciness!)
Note: It doesn't take much of Mr. Y's because the sauce is concentrated. 
The traditional sandwich garnishes are  Du Chua  sweet/sour pickled vegetables (usually carrots and daikon) and slivered green onions, cilantro, thinly sliced jalapeño, sliced cucumber, mayonnaise or butter (I like mayo best here), and sometimes a drizzle of soy sauce (not necessary if using another Asian-style sauce.)
 For the authentic "Special" version a slather of  liver pate is spread on the roll.
 For my garnishes  I didn't bother to pickle the carrots or radishes  (Instead of daikon I used garden-variety red radishes  because that's what's most readily available here.) I love cilantro so I added lots, but just leave it out if you don't care for it.
Ummmm!  So good!! It made me very happy to (almost) duplicate one of my favorite Vietnamese meals.  If you can find good Banh Mi nearby ~ LUCKY YOU!
If not, this version will likely satisfy your craving. :D 
Oh! And rather than pork, you can also make Banh Mi with a number of other fillings. You can find an variety of other meat (and non-meat) ideas Here.  ~

Thank you for coming by for a visit today.
Blessings!  ~ mari xo



*Disclosure per FTC requirements:  I received no compensation for mentioning Mr. Yoshida's brand sauce.