Childhood memories are a Vietnamese ham roll (banh mi cha lua)

This cha lua sandwich holds core memories for Duncan Lu and is a staple of Vietnamese households in the way a ham and cheese sandwich is for western families.

Add banh mi cha lua to your sandwich rotation. Source: Duncan Lu

Most types of Vietnamese meat rolls (banh mi thit) are classified under the umbrella of street food and are easily found in your local Asian bakery. However, there's one version you'll only find in Vietnamese households.

Like the humble ham or deli meat sandwich, banh mi cha lua can be fixed in a moment and enjoyed on any given day. Forget about the pickled carrots, mayo and pate, all you need is a crusty Vietnamese bread roll lined with spreadable butter, sliced Vietnamese ham (cha lua), cucumber, coriander (optional) and most importantly, a few lashings of Maggi seasoning.

My first memories of banh mi cha lua are of mum sending me to school with them tightly packed in cling wrap. Even though they'd be crumpled by the time I took them out of my backpack at recess or lunch, they still wouldn't last longer than a few minutes. 

Till this day, I prefer a banh mi cha lua over a ham sandwich.

Cha lua is a pork loaf sausage wrapped in banana leaves, it's easily found at Asian supermarkets. Source: Duncan Lu

Vietnamese ham roll (banh mi cha lua)  

Serves 4

Grab:

• 4 plain Vietnamese bread rolls 

Cut rolls lengthways and line each roll with: 

• 1 tbsp spreadable butter or margarine
• 60 g cha lua (Vietnamese ham), sliced 1 cm thick
• 1 cucumber, sliced lengthways
• Coriander leaves, to taste

Season each with:

• Pinch sea salt
• Pinch cracked pepper
• 1 tbsp Maggi seasoning or soy sauce 

Duncan Lu loves a good banh mi cha lua. Source: Duncan Lu

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