The Briny Lemon: Vietnamese-Style Tuna Rolls with Pickled Vegetables

These banh mi-inspired tuna sandwiches are loaded with flavor from the inside out. A salty-sour bath for the tuna, highlighted with fresh ginger, and tangy pickled vegetables ensure a tasty combination in every bite.

Traditional Vietnamese banh mi are made with pork, and the bread plays a big role. (Check out more about that at Ground Pork Banh Mi.) For this recipe, I wanted to lighten it up a bit and keep the preparation simple. But no compromising on flavor.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup rice vinegar
4 tbsp white sugar, divided
2 tsp fine table salt
3 large radishes, very thinly sliced
3-inch piece of seedless cucumber, very thinly sliced
1 packed cup shaved carrots (2-3 medium-small carrots)
1/4 cup fish sauce
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
3 5-oz cans of tuna in water, drained
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 long baguette, cut into 4 4-1/2- to 5-inch pieces, then sliced into tops and bottoms
cilantro leaves with small stems, for serving

Prepared Vegetables

Sliced Baguette

Halved Pieces

Preparation

Whisk both vinegars, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and table salt in a bowl until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the radishes, cucumber, and carrots, pressing to submerge.
Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 1 hour at room temperature. Drain well through a sieve.

Vegetables in Pickling Liquid

Drained Pickled Vegetables

Combine the fish sauce, lime juice, ginger, and remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar in a medium bowl and season with black pepper. Add the tuna and stir until the liquid is absorbed into the tuna.
Hollow out both the tops and bottoms of the baguette pieces and lay them on a work surface. Divide the tuna mixture and fill the bottom halves. Add the drained pickled vegetables on top.