Chilli salt grilled 'banh mi': summer doesn't seem hot enough
Literally the hottest thing at the moment, the chilli salt grilled bread is taking Saigon by storm, getting every street food professional to have their own grab at the latest craze of summer.
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| The spicy treat has its roots in the Mekong province of An Giang. The original version is simply chilli, salt and bread grilled together to make Khmer take-away food. After reaching its new destination, the 'banh mi' has adopted a new urban twist. |
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| The base of the dish is still 'banh mi', the very name that earned the Vietnamese bread its place on the global street food map, flattened for the best biting experience. |
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| Chilli sauteed until turned into paste is seasoned with spices and salt of course. |
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| Some places offer more than just needed, adding coconut and butter sauce. |
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| Sauces applied to the flat bread. |
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| Back again on the charcoal, the chilli now gets one more chance to be tempered to be spicier. |
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| More protein and meaty with pork floss and dried shrimp. |
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| Some places set themselves apart with just a dash of scallion. |
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| At VND8,000 (not even half a dollar), the dish earns its own fandom, who flock to Le Quang Trung Street, District 6 only to have their mouth burned with chilli salt 'banh mi'. |
