The Sims 4: Banh Mi

There are days I need to just turn my brain off and escape the boredom with a video game. The Sims series is one that I can relax with and let myself escape reality. It is fun to watch the madness that can ensue from decisions I would never make in my life. Things like owning my own business and making a successful restaurant. I enjoy doing that in-game but it is something I have no interest to do in the real world. Any character I play will always work their way through unlock all the cooking recipes. One of my favorite ways to chill in the game is to go around to the local food stalls and check out all the unique recipes they have to offer. I love how your character will learn how to cook a recipe after just eating it. I wish I had that power!

My love for banh mi knows no bounds. During my time here in Houston, it has easily become one of my favorite items to eat. Banh Mi is a Vietnamese sandwich with a delicious combination of crunchy bread, pate, pickled vegetables, and some kind of protein to make up such a simple yet lovely dish. I could honestly write a love letter to banh mi because of how much I love it. As I’m writing this, I just keep thinking about making one or just going out and buying one. They are amazing! For a long time I’ve been looking for an excuse to figure out how to make this sandwich at home. The Sims 4: City Living gave me the perfect excuse. This expansion continues to be my favorite one added to the game. All the international cuisine introduced in the expansion is the main star including a handful of Vietnamese recipes. This sandwich has a lot of layers to it but once you have all the elements prepared, making these sandwiches take no time. Also, they can be easily customized. If there is a specific ingredient you do not like, just skip it. 

Pickled Vegetables Ingredients:
¼ cup brown rice black vinegar (can be replaced with regular rice vinegar)
1 cup warm water
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
4 garlic cloves
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 carrots, julienned
½ small daikon radish, julienned

Combine the rice vinegar, warm water, sugar, salt, garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, and black peppercorns in a large airtight container. Add the carrots and daikon radish into the container. If the carrots and daikon are not covered, add additional rice vinegar. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. The longer they are left to pickle, the more flavorful the carrots and daikon will become. Can be stored in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

Chinese Five Spice Ingredients:
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp szechuan peppercorn
1 ½ tbsp fennel seeds
7 cloves
4 star anise

Place all the ingredients in a spice grinder and blend until the peppercorns have grinded. Place in an airtight container.

Chicken Thighs Ingredients:
10 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
1 tbsp chinese five spice
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 lemongrass, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 scallions, cut in half
⅓ cup soy sauce
¼ cup mirin
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp hoisin sauce

Combine everything together, cover, and marinate for at least 3 hours up to 12 hours. Cook on a grill pan until chicken is cooked through, about 10 – 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let rest. Slice into strips when you are ready to make the sandwiches.

For Sandwiches Ingredients:
2 loaves french bread, cut into sandwich portions
½ cup butter, room temperature
1 ½ tbsp garlic powder
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 scallion, minced
pate
mayo
cilantro
1 cucumber, sliced
2 jalapenos, sliced
pickled vegetables
sriracha

Preheat oven broiler. Combine the butter, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and scallions in a bowl.

Spread the inside of the bread with the mixed butter. Place under the broiler and toast until the bread has crisped up.

To assemble the banh mi, spread the bottom half of the bread with pate. Add a generous amount of mayo. Place the cilantro, cucumbers, and chicken thighs. Top with pickled vegetables, jalapenos, and sriracha. Serve immediately.

Print Recipe

Chicken Banh Mi

Ingredients

Pickled Vegetables Ingredients

• ¼ cup brown rice genmai black vinegar
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 4 garlic cloves
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 carrots julienned
• ½ small daikon radish julienned

Chinese Five Spice Ingredients

• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp szechuan peppercorn
• 1 ½ tbsp fennel seeds
• 7 cloves
• 4 star anise

Chicken Thighs Ingredients

• 10 chicken thighs boneless, skinless
• 1 tbsp chinese five spice
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 lemongrass minced
• 6 garlic cloves minced
• 3 scallions cut in half
• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup mirin
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce

For Sandwiches Ingredients

• 2 loaves french bread cut into sandwich portions
• ½ cup butter room temperature
• 1 ½ tbsp garlic powder
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 scallion minced
• pate
• mayo
• cilantro
• 1 cucumber sliced
• 2 jalapenos sliced
• pickled vegetables
• sriracha

Instructions

Pickled Vegetables

• Combine the rice vinegar, warm water, sugar, salt, garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, and black peppercorns in a large airtight container. Add the carrots and daikon radish into the container. If the carrots and daikon are not covered, add additional rice vinegar. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. The longer they are left to pickle, the more flavorful the carrots and daikon will become. Can be stored in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

Chinese Five Spice

• Place all the ingredients for the Chinese Five Spice in a spice grinder and blend until the peppercorns have grinded. Transfer to a bowl and mix together with the garlic powder. Place in an airtight container.

Chicken Thighs

• Combine everything together, cover, and marinate for at least 3 hours up to 12 hours. Cook on a grill pan until chicken is cooked through, about 10 – 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let rest. Slice into strips when you are ready to make the sandwiches.

Sandwich

• Preheat oven broiler. Combine the butter, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and scallions in a bowl.
• Spread the inside of the bread with the mixed butter. Place under the broiler and toast until the bread has crisped up.
• To assemble the banh mi, spread the bottom half of the bread with pate. Add a generous amount of mayo. Place the cilantro, cucumbers, and chicken thighs. Top with pickled vegetables, jalapenos, and sriracha. Serve immediately.

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