There’s just something about the vibrant colors of a rainbow that reminds you of your childhood, effortlessly flipping over frowns and turning them into smiles.

Lately, these oh-so-special group of colors have become a trendy theme in the dessert world. From food blogs, to cooking shows, to actual food establishments,  people have gone to great lengths to make the numerous kinds of rainbow sweets available to not only look pretty, but also taste delicious.

I wanted to make something reminiscent of a rainbow but I knew it wasn’t going to be a dessert. I’ve always been a fan of Banh Mi, those healthy sandwiches made popular by the Vietnamese. I like the sour, sweet, sometimes spicy and savory flavors it brings to the table, much like the colors of that magical arch in the sky.

Today, I’m sharing my Rainbow Banh Mi recipe.

Rainbow Banh Mi

Total Time: 25 minutes (+ 2 hours for pickling) / Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients for the Sandwich

• 4 mini baguettes, halved and hollowed in the middle
• 1 cup purple cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 cup pickled carrots
• 1 cup pickled yellow radish
• Few sprigs of cilantro
• Lettuce
• 2 big tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 8 slices of deli-sliced ham of your choice

Ingredients for the Hoisin-Mayo Dressing

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1/2 tbsp Sriracha

Ingredients for the Pickling Liquid

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup granulated Sugar
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar

Procedure for pickling the vegetables

1. In a small saucepan, combine pickling ingredients together on low heat, until sugar is completely dissolved. Cool afterwards.
2. Put 1 cup of the julienned carrots and radish in a 12-ounce jar each. Pour the pickling liquid into the jars until julienned veggies are completely submerged.
3. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours

Procedure for the Hoisin-Mayo Dressing

1. Mix all the ingredients together until they are well-incorporated.
2. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Assembly

1. Start by spreading hoisin-mayo sauce in both sides of the baguette.
2. Layer the purple cabbage then cilantro, lettuce, pickled yellow radish, pickled carrots, sliced tomatoes, and the ham slices on the bottom half of the baguette and then top with the other half.
3. Enjoy!

Notes:
•   Try adding 3-4 drops of yellow food coloring to the pickling liquid of the radish for more color.
•   Cut banh mi in half to expose the rainbow hiding inside!