Vietnamese Chicken Kebab Banh Mi Sandwich

Ingredients:

Kebab

• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 small shallot, cut into 4 pieces
• 4 cm ginger root, peeled and cut into large pieces
• 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems)
• Juice and grated zest of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil + extra for greasing the grill
• 1 kg skinless and boneless chicken thighs, cut into 5 cm pieces.
• Half a small daikon, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
• 4 jalapeño peppers, each cut into 8 pieces

Pickled vegetables

• 3/4 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 carrots, cut into strips
• Half a seedless cucumber, cut into strips
• 0.5 cup fresh cilantro

Spicy mayonnaise

• 0.5 cup mayonnaise
• Juice and grated zest of half a lime
• 1.5 tsp. sriracha sauce
• Chopped fresh cilantro, Thai basil, baguette slices and lime wedges, for serving

Preparation:

1. Prepare the kebabs:

   
   Combine the garlic, shallot, ginger, lemongrass, and cilantro in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the lime zest and juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and vegetable oil and process until a coarse paste forms. Place the chicken in a large bowl and add the ginger paste; stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the pickled vegetables:

   
   In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the vinegar, 1/4 cup water, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt, stirring constantly. Cook until the sugar and salt dissolve. Let cool slightly. Combine the carrots and cucumber in a small bowl and pour the marinade over them; press down on the vegetables to submerge them. Refrigerate for 1-4 hours. Drain the liquid and add the cilantro.
3. Prepare spicy mayonnaise:
   In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, lime zest and juice, and Sriracha sauce; season with salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. Preheat the grill to medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any large chunks of ginger paste. Thread the chicken, daikon, and jalapeño onto ten 12-inch skewers. Sprinkle with salt.
5. Brush the grill grate with vegetable oil. Grill the kebabs, turning frequently, until the chicken is cooked through and covered with grill marks, 12-15 minutes. Transfer to a platter and garnish with cilantro and Thai basil. Serve on baguettes with marinated vegetables, spicy mayo, and lime wedges.
   
   

   Note

   
   If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes beforehand to prevent them from burning.