If you brown-bag it every day, keeping lunches interesting can be a challenge. Mix things up with a Vietnamese banh mi.

The sandwich features a Vietnamese-style French baguette made with rice and wheat flour, creating an airy loaf with a light, crackly crust.

A key ingredient for filling the sandwich is pickled vegetables, or do chua, which offer a crunch that pairs well with the baguette and a tang that offsets the savory meats. These may include lemongrass chicken, char siu, liver pâté and seared tofu. Add fresh herbs and you’ll have a wonderful marriage of flavors and textures.

Here are recipes to make a good banh mi.

BANH MI (VIETNAMESE SANDWICH)

1 French baguette roll (about 7 inches)
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon shoyu
3 to 4 slices seasoned chicken, beef, pork or tofu (recipes follow)
4 to 5 thin slices Japanese cucumber
3 cilantro sprigs, roughly chopped
3 thin slices jalapeño pepper
1/4 cup do chua, or to taste (recipe follows)

Heat toaster oven to 325 degrees. Slit bread lengthwise and hollow out insides, creating troughs in both halves. (Discard insides or save it for another use, such as bread crumbs.) Toast until lightly crisp; cool for a minute.

Generously spread inside with mayonnaise. Drizzle with shoyu. Layer remaining ingredients. Serves 1.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including meat): 350 calories, 5 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 500 mg sodium, 68 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 12 g sugar, 36 g protein

DO CHUA (PICKLED TURNIP AND CARROTS)

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into thick matchsticks
1 pound daikon, each no larger than 2 inches in diameter, peeled and cut into thick matchsticks
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
1-1/4 cups white vinegar
1 cup lukewarm water

In large bowl, place carrot and daikon; sprinkle with salt and 2 teaspoons sugar. Use hands to knead vegetables for about 3 minutes. They will soften and release liquid. Stop kneading when daikon is pliable enough not to snap. Vegetables should have lost about one-fourth of volume.

Drain and rinse under cold running water, then gently squeeze out excess water. Place in quart-size jar.

In medium bowl, combine remaining sugar, vinegar and water; stir to dissolve. Pour over vegetables to cover. Marinate at least 1 hour.

Vegetables will keep refrigerated for up to 4 weeks. Makes about 3 cups.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 45 calories, 200 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 10 g sugar, no fat, cholesterol or protein

LEMONGRASS TOFU

1 block firm tofu
1 to 2 stalks of fresh lemongrass (about 1/4 cup)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup vegetable oil
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Drain tofu and blot dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Slice into 1/4-inch pieces.

Wash lemongrass, chop bulbs and tender stalks. Place in mortar and pestle and crush pieces until small and pulverized. Add garlic and crush with lemongrass.

In large plastic bag, combine crushed lemongrass and garlic, vegetable oil, soy sauce, salt, pepper and sesame oil. Mix well. Add tofu, placing slices gently in the bag to keep them from breaking. Make sure each slice is coated. Marinate for at least 1 hour or until all liquid is soaked up.

In a sauté pan, fry tofu until both sides are golden brown with a firm crust. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 260 calories, 23 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, greater than 1,500 mg sodium, 4 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 10 g protein, no cholesterol or sugar

FIVE-SPICE MARINATED CHICKEN

1/4 cup soy sauce
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons five spice powder
6 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs

In small bowl, combine everything except chicken.

Place in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Add chicken; turn to coat. Marinate 1 hour. Turn often.

Heat broiler. Broil chicken until juices run clear, about 6 minutes per side.

Cut into slices for banh mi. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 200 calories, 6 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 140 mg cholesterol, greater than 1,200 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrate, no fiber, 3 g sugar, 30 g protein

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