Banh mi (Vietnamese chicken rolls)

WHAT YOU NEED

• 1 Lebanese cucumber
• 1 cup (250ml) rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
• 1 carrot
• 2 tbs light soy sauce
• 1 tbs peanut oil
• 1 tbs honey
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 500g chicken thigh fillets, trimmed
• 1 baguette, cut into 4, or 4 soft long rolls
• 1 tbs reduced-fat whole-egg mayonnaise
• 4 soft butter lettuce leaves, torn
• 1 tbs pickled jalapeno peppers (optional)
• 1 tbs hot chilli sauce (see notes)
• Few sprigs of fresh coriander

HOW TO PREPARE

1. Use a peeler to shave the cucumber into ribbons, then toss in a bowl with 1 tsp salt and stand for 1 hour.
2. Heat the rice vinegar and sugar in a small pan over medium heat, stirring until the  sugar has dissolved, then cool.
3. Shave carrot length-ways into ribbons with a vegetable peeler, then cut into fine matchsticks. Add carrot, cucumber and their juices to the vinegar mixture and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
4. Mix the soy sauce, peanut oil, honey and garlic together, then coat the chicken in the soy marinade and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
5. Heat a lightly oiled char-grill pan or barbecue to medium heat and cook the chicken for 5 minutes each side or until caramel brown and cooked through. Thickly slice.
6. Split rolls, then lightly grill the cut side for 20 seconds to warm them.
7. Drain the pickled carrot and cucumber.
8. To serve, lightly spread rolls with mayonnaise, then fill with lettuce, chicken, cucumber, jalapenos (if using), carrot, chilli sauce and coriander.

 NOTE:  
We used Sriracha hot sauce, available from Asian food shops.