Bánh Mì Hot Dog
The grill was in full effect this weekend. Back-to-back 100 degree days will force you outside. We’re some of the lucky souls with air conditioning, but when it’s that hot, it struggles. Nothing says ‘holy crap, it’s hot out’ quite like grilling several pounds of marinated pork, sipping copious amounts of Pacifico with lime, and eating your weight in tacos, chips, and salsa.
I seek out hot dogs very infrequently, but when I want one, I want one. Corn dogs are a totally different animal. It’s hard to say no to those. They’re a weakness. I fall into two very different camps regarding hot dogs. It either has to be unbelievably simple—Bun. Dog. Mustard.—or they have to be interesting. Like this dog.
I’m a sucker for a bánh mì. A bánh mì is a Vietnamese sandwich. They usually are simple with a meat or tofu, crunchy veggies or pickled veggies, and a crunchy little baguette. There is a food cart downtown by the office that has them for $3. Well, they did. They closed up for awhile and came back as something else but the menu looked similar the last time I walked by. The freshness of the ingredient, the crispness of the veggies, and the spiciness of the sauce are the best parts. It translates well to a hot dog.
Inspiration: Real Simple
Ingredients
- 4 hot dogs
- 4 buns
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2-3 tablespoons sriracha
- 1/4 cucumber, sliced
- 1 carrot, peeled and shredded
- 1/4 cup mint, chopped
Preparation
In a small bowl, whisk together the sriracha and mayonnaise.
Heat grill on medium high heat. Place dogs across the grate. Roll the dogs after a minute or two when the grill marks show up.
Optional: grill the buns
Spread the spicy mayonnaise mixture on the buns. Layer the hot dogs, sliced cucumber, and shredded carrots. Drizzle on more sauce as you see fit. Top with chopped mint.