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Bahn mi-style soft shell crab sandwich
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5 from 1 vote

Banh mi-style soft shell crab sandwich

A hearty sandwich with a touch of Vietnamese and plenty delicious flavor.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time6 minutes
Total Time21 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Fusion
Servings: 2
Calories: 600kcal
Author: Caroline's Cooking
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Ingredients

For quick pickles

  • 2 carrots
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup water 4 tbsp

For rest of sandwich

  • 2 soft shell crab cleaned - ask your fishmonger
  • 2 tablespoon flour
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil plus possibly a bit more depending on size of pan
  • 1 baguette or ciabatta loaf or two rolls
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise 4tbsp
  • ½ teaspoon sriracha sauce
  • 2 lettuce leaves (suggest romaine)
  • 4 stems cilantro/coriander leaves only, approx

Instructions

To make pickles (can be done ahead)

  • Peel the carrots then cut them julienne (in thin slices then cut the slices into small strips) into medium-sized lengths. Put them in a bowl and add the salt and sugar. Rub the salt and sugar into the carrots until you start to draw liquid and the carrots start to feel a bit more bendy. Add the vinegar and water and leave to pickle slightly. You can make the carrots a day or two ahead of time.

For rest of sandwich

  • Pat the crabs dry. Put the flour on a plate and add some salt and pepper and mix through. Dredge the crabs in the seasoned four so you have a little all over then shake off any excess.
  • Heat the oil in a medium-large skillet/frying pan over a medium heat then add the crabs.
  • Cook crabs for around 3min each side until they have turned orange - if some parts of the legs don't change color then gently press them in to the pan to make contact. If you don't really have any oil left when you turn them, add a little more.
  • While the crabs are cooking, cut two good-sized chunks about as wide as the crabs from the baguette and slice open.
  • Mix together the mayonnaise and sriracha and spread a thin layer over the inside of the baguette chunks. Add some lettuce to the bottom of the sandwiches.
  • When the crabs are cooked, add them into your sandwiches, topped with a handful of the pickled carrots, drained of their pickling water, and topped with a few cilantro leaves (remove the longer stems but no need to take off or chop individual leaves).
  • Serve with napkins and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 600kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 1617mg | Potassium: 379mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 12105IU | Vitamin C: 9.3mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 4.4mg