I grew up thinking my mom was a genius in the kitchen because it seemed like she was inventing a brand-new dish every other day. Growing up, it felt like she kept a secret cookbook that she was always adding to, hidden somewhere in the house. It wasn’t until years later that I understood the truth. My mom cooked with whatever she had, and most weeks that meant ingredients from the food bank or whatever landed on the sale rack. We didn’t have much, but she never made it feel that way when it came to food. She turned scarcity into something that tasted like abundance, and this Spam and egg banh mi is one of the dishes I still think about as an adult.
She stuffed fried Spam and soft scrambled eggs into a toasted and fluffy Vietnamese baguette, then piled on the same bright toppings you find in any great banh mi. To me, it tasted like the best breakfast in the world, and even though my taste buds have matured, it’s still a dish that I think is just incredible. To be honest, though, this dish isn’t as uncommon as I thought it was when I was a kid, and I’ve seen it pop up in delis from time to time, but it’s been a while since I’ve had this banh mi, though. So today we’re going to recreate it in my own kitchen and pass it down to my daughter and to all you reading this too!
Peel the carrot and daikon, then cut them into thin matchsticks. Add the veggies to a mixing bowl, pour over kosher salt, and mix well. Let the kosher salt draw out moisture from the carrots and daikon for 10-15 minutes. Rinse well to remove any remaining salt, squeeze out the excess water, and add to a container.
In a pot over medium heat, stir together the sugar, vinegar, and water. Heat up until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Pour the brine over the vegetables. Let them sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes while you cook everything else. They taste even better the longer they soak, so make them ahead whenever you can.
Slice the Spam. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, then lay the slices in a single layer. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until the edges turn deep golden and crisp. Move the Spam to a plate and set aside.
Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them until fully combined. Pour the eggs into the same warm skillet and pull them gently across the pan until they set soft and pillowy. Take them off the heat while they still look glossy; the residual heat will finish cooking them through.
Unless you’re getting freshly baked baguettes, give each baguette a quick blast of heat in the oven or air fryer until the outside is nice and crispy. Then make a cut along the length of the banh mi while still leaving one side attached as a hinge.
Spread butter on one side and Kewpie mayo on the other. Layer in the scrambled eggs and crispy Spam. Pile on a generous tangle of pickled carrot and daikon, tuck in the cucumber spears, and finish with cilantro. Shake a little Maggi over the top and crack on fresh black pepper. Press it closed and cut in half. Enjoy!
Make the pickled carrots and daikon up to two weeks ahead and keep them in a sealed jar in the fridge. Cook the Spam and eggs fresh, since they taste best hot from the pan. Assemble each sandwich right before you eat so the baguette stays crisp and the fillings stay warm.
This post is part of a collaboration with The Asian American Foundation (TAAF). All opinions…
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