Fish Sauce Caramel Chicken Tender Banh Mi
Backstory:
My friend, Jessee, loves fish sauce. I decided to make create her a Banh Mi recipe using fried chicken tenders that are marinated and sauced like the famous Pok Pok wings. Jessee is also the artist for the channel and has created most if not all of the artwork and graphics we use.
Ingredients, Marinade:
8 garlic cloves
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
2 lbs chicken tenders
Method, Marinade:
Chop garlic cloves then grind to a paste with the salt.
Pour 1/4 cup warm water over garlic paste and stir. Allow to soak for 5 minutes or so to infuse the water with the garlic flavor.
Add sugar and fish sauce to a large bowl. Strain in the garlic mixture once it has finished infusing, press the garlic pulp to get all the garlic juice out. Mix until the sugar is dissolved.
Prepare your tenders for marination. Trim the tendon out if it is not already removed.
Place tenders in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Longer will provide more flavor.
Ingredients, Dredge:
1 cup rice flour
2 tbsp corn starch
1/2 tsp baking powder
Method, Dredge and Fry
Mix dredge ingredients in a large bowl.
Strain chicken out of the marinade reserving marinade for later use. Place chicken into the dredge and coat well.
Shallow or deep fry at 350 until dark golden brown and at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel lined pan to drain.
Ingredients, Glaze:
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp neutral oil
reserved marinade
Optionnal:
chili paste
Method, Glaze
In a large non stick saute pan add the neutral oil and minced garlic. Saute garlic over medium heat until lightly golden brown. Immediately pull and strain garlic. The garlic will continue to cook after it is pulled so pull it on the light side or risk burning it.
In the same non-stick saute pan add all of the reserved marinade. Bring to a boil over medium high.
Reduce the marinade until it turns into a dark brown syrupy caramel. Once the caramel is formed you can adjust the thickness with water. It needs be thing enough to coat your tenders but not so watery as to sog them up. If using, add 1 tsp chili paste and mix in well.
Add all tenders to the pan and toss to coat. Add a small splash of water around the edges of the pan right near the end to pull up any remaining caramel and get it infused into the tenders. Sprinkle tenders with the fried garlic. Set tenders on a wire rack to cool slightly while you prepare the banh mi.
Ingredients, Banh Mi
4 crusty long gluten-free bread rolls (as baguette-like as possible)
2 lbs of fish sauce glazed chicken tenders
6 tbsp chicken pate
6 tbsp mayonnaise
2 cucumbers, julienned
4 green onion tops, sliced thinly on the diagonal
2 red chilies, thinly sliced (optional)
fresh coriander aka cilantro (optional)
Method, Banh Mi
Slice your bread (if needed). Warm bread in a 350 oven gently. We are not looking to crisp these up. This is especially important with gluten-free breads as they often are somewhat brittle due to starch crystallization.
Spread 1 1/2 tbsp of mayo on one side of the bread and 1 1/2 tbsp of pate on the other.
Add 1/4 of your glazed tenders on top of the carrots.
Top with pickled carrot, cucumber, sliced scallion, red chiles, and cilantro.
Close it up ensuring everything gets tucked in nicely, slice in half on a diagonal, and serve.
Ingredients, Pickled Carrots:
4 medium carrots, peeled and julienned
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup white sugar
4 tsp salt
3/4 cup rice vinegar
Method, Pickled Carrots
Julienne 4 medium carrots, or use a julienne peeler (way easier). Place in a heatproof bowl or jar.
Bring the water, sugar, salt, and vinegar to a boil. Ensure all salt and sugar are dissolved.
Pour brine over the carrots and allow them to cool to room temperature.
Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Attributions:
Pok Pok Wings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RRt74iMnGw
Banh Mi