Mahi Mahi Banh Mi (Vietnamese Sandwiches)

Ingredients

• 0.5  baguette cut into 2 pieces, or 2 ciabatta rolls
• 1 head boston lettuce separated
• 13 ounce coconut milk canned
• 0.5  carrots shredded julienned
• 1 teaspoon asian chili sauce 
• 0.5  kirby cucumber julienned
• 1  kirby cucumber thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce 
• 0.5 bunch cilantro leaves fresh
• 1 bunch cilantro leaves fresh
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 0.3 cup juice of lime fresh for garnish
• 1.3 pounds skinned mahi mahi fillet dark trimmed
• 2 fillet thai curry mahi mahi red leftover
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 
• 1 tablespoon curry paste red
• 1 handful roasted peanuts 
• 1 tablespoon thai salad dressing leftover
• 2  scallions sliced lengthwise cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3  scallions white green thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons sugar 
• 1 tablespoon butter unsalted melted
• 0.5 bunch watercress 
• 1 bunch watercress 
• 1  bell pepper red yellow stemmed seeded thinly sliced

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• whisk
• aluminum foil
• broiler
• broiler pan

Directions

1. Preheat the broiler to high. Split the baguette or rolls and brush both sides lightly with butter. Broil until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.
2. Remove from the broiler and spread both sides with mayonnaise. Toss the scallions, carrot and cucumber in the dressing. Stack the sandwiches with fish, the tossed vegetables, herbs, watercress and chili sauce, if desired.
3. Preheat the broiler to high. Line a broiler pan with foil and lightly oil.
4. Skim 2 tablespoons cream from the top of the coconut milk (reserve the milk to flavor rice as a side dish, if desired). Fry the coconut cream in a small skillet over medium heat until glossy, about 2 minutes. Stir in the curry paste and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes.
5. Spread the mixture over the fish in the broiler pan; broil until browned and just cooked through, about 15 minutes.
6. Cut the fish into 4 pieces.
7. Whisk the lime juice, sugar, 2 tablespoons water and fish sauce in a bowl until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the chili sauce and garlic.
8. Arrange the lettuce, watercress, cucumber, scallions, pepper, herbs, nuts and lime wedges with 4 pieces of fish on a platter; drizzle with the Thai salad dressing.
9. Photograph by Antonis Achiellos