Move over, bánh mì — there’s a new Asian sandwich in town. (We’re kidding, there’s ample room for both.) Num pang is the name of both this delicious Cambodian sandwich and the NYC shop that slings the best ones outside of Phnom Penh. Join authors and Num Pang co-owners Ratha Chaupoly and Ben Daitz in their quest to fill baguettes with inventive, delicious combinations.
One of our personal favorites as well as one of the most popular num pangs is the glazed peach and bacon. It’s that combination of sweet heat, fatty crunch, smoke, and juiciness that is like total sandwich nirvana. We tap into the same pleasure zone in this combination: spicy soy–glazed juicy, ripe figs and salty, crackly fried chicken skin. Now there is no way we could ever make this sandwich to feed the thousands upon thousands of hungry New Yorkers who stream into our shops every day. But at home, it’s totally doable. Of course you can swap the chicken skin for bacon, but you’ll be missing out — the chicken skin is like crispy, porky lace compared to a more solid plank of bacon.
Heads up: So yeah, you’re totally going to peel away the chicken skin from the breast and save the breast meat for another time. It might sound weird to use just the chicken skin, but think of how good it’s going to taste! Most butchers will sell you chicken skin, so call, ask, and make your life easier.