Shrimp Banh Mi

From EatingWell: June/July 2005, The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook (2006) — Subscribe Now!

French colonial rule in Vietnam influenced the country's cooking profoundly, as here with this street-food sandwich (bahn mi), usually served on a baguette. The spicy mayo melange really adds tartness and spice.

READER'S COMMENT:

"Excellent for a summer meal and you don't have to heat up the house making dinner. This is a favorite at my house and a quick and easy thing to fix. Good paired with lemongrass flavored rice especially. "

6 sandwiches

Active Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 1/2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 1/2 tablespoons low-fat plain yogurt
3/4 teaspoon fish sauce, (see Ingredient note)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 12-inch baguettes, halved lengthwise
1 pound peeled cooked shrimp, (21-25 per pound; thawed if frozen), tails removed (see Tip)
18 thin slices cucumber
3 scallions, thinly sliced lengthwise and cut into 2-inch pieces

Preparation

Place carrot and vinegar in a small bowl; stir to combine. Let marinate while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
Place cilantro, mayonnaise, yogurt, fish sauce, lime juice and cayenne in a medium bowl; stir to combine. Spread 2 teaspoons of this sauce on the bottom half of each baguette. Add shrimp to the remaining sauce; toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon, divide carrot among the baguettes (discard vinegar). Top with shrimp, cucumber and scallions. Cut each baguette into two 6-inch sandwiches.

Tips & Notes

Ingredient Note: Fish sauce: A pungent Southeast Asian sauce made from salted, fermented fish. Found in the Asian section of large supermarkets and in Asian specialty markets.
Tip: To defrost frozen shrimp, place in a colander under cold running water until thawed.

Nutrition

Per serving: 247 calories; 4 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 153 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrates; 24 g protein; 5 g fiber; 504 mg sodium; 993 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (50% daily value), Vitamin C (25% dv), Folate (20% dv), Magnesium (17% dv).

1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 very lean meat