Perfect Banh Mi With Crispy Pork Belly At Home

Preheat oven to 300℉ then in a blender, place the peppercorns, and blend until you get a powder. Season the pork belly on the underside and not the skin. Place the pork belly in some foil and wrap just the bottom leaving a border around the edges with the skin exposed.

Rub a thin veneer of vegetable oil on the skin and season the skin generously with kosher salt. Place in the oven for 2.5 hours, check halfway to ensure the foil is still snug. (tight the foil if necessary)

Increase oven temperature to 475℉ or 500℉.  Place on a wire rack, set over a lined baking sheet, and place in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes.

Once ready, take it out and let it sit for five minutes. Using a serrated knife, slice the belly, about ½” thick.

Place carrots in a quart container. Place daikon in a pint container.

In a small pot, add rice vinegar, water, sugar, salt, coriander seeds, and lime zest; bring it to a boil and immediately remove from the heat and strain that hot liquid over your vegetables to submerge them. Let them sit until they reach room temperature.

In a saucepot add sugar, sambal oelek, rice vinegar, water, and fish sauce, whisk; then turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, let it reduce for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together corn starch and a splash of water to make a slurry, pour that into your sweet chili sauce, reduce the heat to low, let that simmer while you stir until thickened. Cut the heat, then add garlic and the kaffir lime bruised.

Cut your baguettes into a 12” segment; then wrap them in foil and place them into a warm oven for 5 - 10 minutes. Next, cut your bread, so one side is connected.

Generously spread mayonnaise on the inside of the bread. Add pork belly, cucumber slices, followed by a stack of pickled vegetables, spicy peppers, and a handful of fresh cilantro.