Duncan Lu's trick to making a rich and savoury banh mi xiu mai

Bánh mì xíu mại is a popular meat roll on the streets of Vietnam. In Australia, it's harder to find but easy to make at home.

Add bánh mì xíu mại to your lunch rotation. Source: Duncan Lu

Xíu mại (Vietnamese meatballs) are pork-mince meatballs that are briefly stewed in a tomato-based sauce.

Traditionally, tomatoes are blanched in hot water. Then they are peeled and chopped to create the sauce base. The sauce's bright red colour is often achieved with annatto oil. 

In my variation, I've replaced fresh tomatoes with chopped tinned tomatoes and an ingredient found in every Aussie pantry: tomato sauce. 

The tomato sauce gives an appealing red shimmer and adds another layer of savoury flavour. It's actually a tip I picked up from my mum who makes the dish this way.

If you're ever craving a Vietnamese meatball roll and are after a quick fix, do yourself a favour and give this variation a go to experience the flavours of Vietnam with an Aussie twist.

A Vietnamese meatball roll is easy to make. Source: Duncan Lu

Vietnamese meatball rolls (banh mi xiu mai) 

Serves 4-6

In a large mixing bowl, add: 

• 500 g pork mince
• 1 bunch spring onion tops, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce 
• 1 tbsp tomato sauce 
• ½ tsp anchovy salt or sea salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp sugar

Combine until the mixture becomes a sticky paste. After this, form the paste into meatballs (roughly the size of a golf ball). Place meatballs in a shallow bowl, cover with cling wrap and steam for 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile, soak:

• 1 brown onion, thinly sliced

in cold water for 15 minutes, then strain and set aside. 

In a large saucepan, sauté until fragrant:

• 4 tbsp neutral cooking oil
• 1 bunch spring onion stalks (white part only)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 brown onion, chopped 

Then, add steamed meatballs, along with:

• 1 bunch coriander stalks
• 1 x 400 g can tomatoes, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp tomato sauce 
• ½ tsp anchovy salt or sea salt
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 400 ml water

Bring this to the boil then simmer on medium for 5 minutes to allow flavours to develop.

Vietnamese meatballs are cooked in a tomato sauce. Source: Duncan Lu

To assemble the bánh mì xíu mại, cut open:

• 6 plain Vietnamese bread rolls

and line rolls with: 

• 2 sliced tomatoes

Spoon in meatballs, gently crushing them with the back of the spoon to spread them evenly.

Garnish with the pre-soaked thinly sliced brown onions and: 

• 1 bunch coriander, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp Maggi seasoning
• Freshly ground black pepper 

Eat immediately, before the bread becomes too soggy.

 

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