Ginger Salmon Banh Mi Bento for Two

 

These banh mi were filled with a spicy ginger salmon salad and a mix of cooling herbs and veggies.

To make the spicy ginger salmon salad:

Combine a can of well-drained red salmon with finely minced ginger, a clove of finely minced garlic (I used a potent piece of Russian garlic given to us by our wizard-cook friend Pete from his Dad's upstate N.Y. garden), a dash of togarashi pepper, and some Vietnamese fish sauce. In a small bowl, combine mayo and chili garlic sauce--enough for use as a bread spread and to combine with the salmon. Mince a small handful of scallion and cilantro, add to the ginger salmon.

Split and remove some of the insides of a freshly baked roll, then lightly toast. To assemble banh mi, spread the roll with a good layer of the coral-colored mayo-pepper, then add the ginger salmon salad, pickled carrots and daikon, thinly sliced cucumber, avocado slices, baby greens, cilantro, garlic buds, and fresh basil.

We added fresh ground black pepper, extra avocado, and a ginger sesame dressing to the bento greens to round out the meal...