My teen likes to call himself the Bánh mì connoisseur! He will eat Banh Mi at any place that serves Banh Mi, ofcourse his favorite being Bun Mee in the city. They serve vegetarian options with tofu that are fantastic, and their Salt and Pepper Fries are to-die-for! They put jalapenos on top of the fries, which are a spicy and wonderful added touch.
What is Bánh mì?
Bánh mì is a popular Vietnamese sandwich featuring a light, crusty baguette filled with a flavorful combination of savory meats (like grilled pork, chicken, or pâté), tangy pickled vegetables (daikon & carrot), fresh cilantro, cucumber, and spicy chili, often with a spread of mayonnaise or butter and a drizzle of soy or fish sauce, creating a unique mix of textures and tastes.
Bánh mì uses a special Vietnamese baguette, known as bánh mì bread, which is distinct from its French cousin: it features an incredibly thin, crispy, crackly crust and a super light, airy, almost cotton-soft interior, often achieved using bread flour and sometimes rice flour for that unique texture.
Tofu Bánh mì Bowls for School lunches
I am always looking for school lunch options for my teens, especially meals that are healthy, plant-based, nourishing, tasty and easy to make and assemble.
I do not always have the baguette lying around, to make the Bánh mì. But I always have jasmine rice in my pantry. So I make these Tofu Bánh mì Bowls for the kiddos. They love these bowls, and their lunch boxes always come back empty. That is music to my ears! And I know a lot of mothers go through the same saga on a daily basis!
The bowl consists of jasmine rice, marinated and sauteed tofu, along with sliced cucumbers, picked carrots and daikon, cilantro and jalapenos. Basically all the ingredients with jasmine rice, instead of in a baguette.
Ingredients of a Tofu Bánh mì Bowl
The ingredients of a Tofu Bánh mì Bowl are:
Pickled carrot and daikon
- Water
- Rice wine vinegar : Or you can use sherry vinegar as well
- Granulated sugar
- Table salt
- Carrots, julienned
- Daikon, julienned
Tofu Marinade
- Firm tofu : I get my tofu from Costco because they have a pack of 4 for a good price, as compared to what is available at the grocery stores. And we eat a lot of tofu.
- Soy sauce
- Dark soy sauce
- Rice wine vinegar
- Sesame oil
- Granulated sugar
- Garlic cloves
- Vegetable oil
Sriracha Mayo
- Kewpie mayo : You can use normal mayo too, but kewpie mayo is creamier and is available at all grocery stores.
- Sriracha
- Lime juice
Other Ingredients
- Jasmine rice
- Persian cucumbers: thinly sliced on a mandolin
- Jalapenos
- Cilantro
How to make the Tofu Bánh mì Bowls
The Tofu Bánh mì Bowls start off with the pickled carrots and daikon.
Pickled Carrots and Daikon
- The pickled carrots and daikon can be made upto a week ahead in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to use.
- The process is really very simple. In a pot, heat the water, vinegar and sugar until the sugar dissolves. You do not need to bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add the julienned carrots and daikon in a glass jar. I use a 32 ounce mason glass jar so that there is room for the veggies and the liquid. Add the vinegar mixture into the jar, close it and shake it around.
- Bring it to room temperature and then place it in the fridge to pickle overnight. You can use it the next day and/or keep it in the fridge for upto 3 weeks.
- TIP : To julienne the carrots and daikon, I use a julienne peeler which makes life so much easier than trying to cut the veggies thin with a sharp knife. This way you get even strands of the veggies.
Tofu Marinade
- The tofu marinade is made by making the marinade in a quarter baking sheet. I add all the ingredients and mix them with a whisk.
- Next add the tofu slices, marinate one side for a few minutes. Turn the slices over and marinate the second side as well.
- Next cook the slices in a heated pan with oil on both the sides until they get a nice dark brown color. Set them aside.
- The process literally takes about 20 minutes tops, and I usually make it the night before they are going to take these bowls to school.
Sriracha Mayo
- Combine all the ingredients, mix it well and store in a small container until ready to use. Be sure to store in the fridge if not using immediately. It can be stored in the fridge for upto 2 weeks.
All the separate components can be made ahead of time, along with the jasmine rice, and assembled just before serving or packing school lunches in the morning. That is what I generally do – pack it all together the morning of.
What is the difference between soy sauce and dark soy sauce? Why do I need both?
Soy sauce (light/regular) is saltier, thinner, and used for general seasoning, while dark soy sauce is thicker, less salty (but often sweeter due to added sugar/caramel), and used primarily for adding deep color (mahogany hue) and richer flavor to braises, stews, and glazes, not usually as a direct dipping sauce. Think of light soy for salty flavor and dark soy for color and depth. I add it in the tofu marinade for color and depth of flavor.
What kind of a peeler do you use for julienned vegetables?
To julienne the carrots and daikon, I use a julienne peeler which makes life so much easier than trying to cut the veggies thin with a sharp knife. This way you get even strands of the veggies.
Can I use normal mayo instead of kewpie mayo?
You can use normal mayo too, but kewpie mayo is creamier and is available at all grocery stores.
Can I use vegan mayo instead of kewpie mayo to make this dish vegan?
Yes! You can absolutely use vegan mayo that is available at local grocery stores.
What components can I make in advance?
All the separate components can be made ahead of time, along with the jasmine rice, and assembled just before serving or packing school lunches in the morning. That is what I generally do – pack it all together the morning of. It literally takes 5 minutes to assemble.
Can I assemble the bowl the night before taking it for lunch?
No, assemble it the morning of. Else it does not really stay well in the lunch box, if packed the previous night, all the way upto lunch time.
Other school lunches that I pack for my kids are:
- Foldable Kimbap
- Schezwan Tofu Fried Rice
- Eggplant and Zucchini Fritter Romesco Sandwiches
- Beetroot Tikkis
If you make this recipe, please tag #thejamlab on Instagram and/or leave a comment on this blog post.
XO
Amisha
Tofu Banh Mi Bowls
Ingredients
Pickled carrot and daikon
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 2 medium carrots, julienned
- 1 medium daikon, julienned
Tofu Marinade
- 14 ounces firm tofu, cut into half breathwise from the top, and each block sliced into 6 slices on the longer side(total 12 slices)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 3–4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1–2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Sriracha Mayo
- 1/2 cup kewpie mayo
- 1/4 cup Sriracha
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 4 cups cooked jasmine rice (~ 1 1/3 cups uncooked jasmine rice)
- 2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced on a mandolin
- 1–2 jalapenos, thinly sliced
- Cilantro for garnish
Get Recipe Ingredients
Method
Pickled carrot and daikon
- In a medium saucepan, on medium-high heat, add the water, rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt and mix until combined and the sugar has dissolved. No need to bring to a boil.
- In a large glass jar, add the julienned carrots and daikon, and pour the liquid over the vegetables. Cover with the lid, secure it tightly and shake the jar such that the vegetables are covered in the mixture.
- Place in the fridge and set overnight to use it the next day.
Tofu Marinade
- Mix the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and cloves in a bowl until combined.
- In a quarter baking sheet or a large plate, lay the tofu slices, and pour the marinade mixture over the tofu. Flip the tofu on the other side to ensure that the marinade is all over. Set aside for 5 minutes. Flip again and set aside for another 5 minutes.
- In a medium skillet, on medium heat, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of oil. After a minute, add 6 tofu slices, along with half of the marinade into the skillet. Cook tofu on the bottom side. Flip after about 2 minutes, and cook for another 2 minutes on the other side. Remove from the pan and set it aside on a plate.
- Repeat with the remaining tofu slices. Let cool completely.
Sriracha Mayo
- Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, mix well and set aside.
Assembly
- Put roughly about 1 cup of rice in 4 bowls.
- Divide the tofu into all the 4 bowls.
- Mix the pickled carrot and daikon in the glass jar, and add about ¼ cup of it in each bowl.
- Add about 5-6 slices of the cucumber.
- Add some jalapeno slices.
- Drizzle with the sriracha mayo, and finally garnish with some cilantro.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
What is the difference between soy sauce and dark soy sauce? Why do I need both?
- Soy sauce (light/regular) is saltier, thinner, and used for general seasoning, while dark soy sauce is thicker, less salty (but often sweeter due to added sugar/caramel), and used primarily for adding deep color (mahogany hue) and richer flavor to braises, stews, and glazes, not usually as a direct dipping sauce. Think of light soy for salty flavor and dark soy for color and depth. I add it in the tofu marinade for color and depth of flavor.
What kind of a peeler do you use for julienned vegetables?
- To julienne the carrots and daikon, I use a julienne peeler which makes life so much easier than trying to cut the veggies thin with a sharp knife. This way you get even strands of the veggies.
Can I use normal mayo instead of kewpie mayo?
- You can use normal mayo too, but kewpie mayo is creamier and is available at all grocery stores.
Can I use vegan mayo instead of kewpie mayo to make this dish vegan?
- Yes! You can absolutely use vegan mayo that is available at local grocery stores.
What components can I make in advance?
- All the separate components can be made ahead of time, along with the jasmine rice, and assembled just before serving or packing school lunches in the morning. That is what I generally do – pack it all together the morning of. It literally takes 5 minutes to assemble.
Can I assemble the bowl the night before taking it for lunch?
- No, assemble it the morning of. Else it does not really stay well in the lunch box, if packed the previous night, all the way upto lunch time.
