vegan banh mi for a noob

[Danimal]

I have cilantro, jalapenos, grated daikon and carrots pickling, and some passable bread. What bulky protein should I put in it? Tofu doesn't seem quite right. I was thinking about crushed meatballs made with TVP, or maybe some sort of tempeh preparation. I don't know where to start with either. Suggestions? Thanks!

[rabidog]

mmm one of my favorite sandwiches here in the philly area (@ fu wah grocery) starts with exactly what you've described above, then some deep-fried tofu glazed with some sorta sauce i can't put my finger on. i'm sure seitan would be fabulous as well.

[Carb Lover]

How about some smoked tofu marinated in a little lemongrass and soy sauce and then grilled?

[xanadude]

Fried firm tofu or seitan?

[Super Salad]

I made two kinds of vegan banh mis for a party last year. I bought two baguette. I used portobello mushrooms that I had marinated in a soy type sauce and then sauteed for one of the sandwiches. I used tempeh bacon and an asian flavored tofu in the other. If you have an asian grocery, I would go there and see if they have any interesting soy products.

BTW-the vegan tempeh bacon at Whole Foods is great. Also, I definitely suggest picking up a jar of veganaise to replace the mayo that is standard on a banh mi. I think I added a little agave and soy to it to get it more like the oriental mayo.

[arifa]

the veggie meat i usually get from the asian markets is the fake ham that comes in a log in the freezer section. i'm vegetarian and not vegan, so i never bothered to check if that particular type of veggie meat is vegan or not. it's REALLY good sliced in a homemade banh mi, though, so it's worth looking for and checking out.