One of the best kept secrets in Vietnamese cuisine is a little sandwich called the banh mi.

It is a mix of Vietnamese and French cuisine that originated from Vietnam when the country was in a French colonial rule from 1887-1954. Both cultures mixed and one of the things created was the banh mi sandwich, which is traditionally made on a French baguette with a variety of fillings including grilled meats such as pork, meatballs, chicken, herbs and grilled vegetables. The sandwich is can be custom-made and have many different combinations.

Because of my gluten-free diet restrictions, banh mi sandwiches are off the list because traditional French baguettes contain gluten. For anyone who has celiac disease or a gluten allergy, eating gluten – which is a protein in wheat, barley and rye – can be fatal.

For this recipe, you can use a gluten-free baguette by Schar, which is great to replace regular bread. Although it is a pricey gluten-free bread, it is a fine alternative and it is better to spend a couple extra dollars to have the comfort of eating something you know you will enjoy.

Banh mi sandwiches can be easily made with some patience, little money and a big appetite for food.

This recipe was adapted from www.marthastewart.com.

Gluten-Free Banh Mi Sandwiches

Servings: 4 Sandwiches

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 2-inch piece ginger, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 shallot, minced

2 tablespoons brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

¾ pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch pieces

¾ cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup carrots, cut into strips

1 cup daikon radish, cut into strips

1 gluten-free baguette

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon sambal oelek chili paste

1/3 cucumber, cut into 8 pieces

8 cilantro sprigs

1 jalapeno, sliced

In a small bowl, combine oil, soy sauce, fish sauce, ginger, garlic, shallot, sugar and black pepper. This will be your marinade.

Add pork tenderloin to marinade and stir around to coat the pork with the marinade. Let stand for 30 minutes.

In a small saucepan, add vinegar, sugar and salt and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add the carrots and radish to pan, remove from heat and cool for about 20 minutes until it is at room temperature.

For this recipe, I used a George Foreman grill. Grill the pork tenderloin for about four minutes, then turn it over once and cook for an additional five minutes on the other side. Remove pork from pan and let cool for three to five minutes. Cut pork into thin slices, place them onto a plate and set aside.

Slice baguette open and place on a baking sheet with the cut side facing up and bake for five minutes. Remove baguette from oven.

Combine mayonnaise and chili paste in a small bowl and spread onto the bottom of the baguette. Fill sandwich with pork and place cucumber, carrots, cilantro and jalapeños evenly over meat. Close baguette and cut into four sandwich portions.

Enjoy this savory Vietnamese sandwich with a cold drink and a warm bowl of pho.

Brittany Lambert can be reached at [email protected]