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Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls

Recipe video above. An exciting way to use ground meat (mince) to make a quick stir fry that taste unbelievable! This is great made with chicken, turkey or pork. It also works with beef though it is better made with "white meats". Serve it over rice or vermicelli noodles to make rice bowls with shredded lettuce, carrots and cucumbers on the side (very classic Vietnamese meal!).**NOTE: If you reduce sugar then the pork will not caramelise as well and it will take longer to get colour on it!**

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 341 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Vietnamese

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil (I use peanut oil)
  • 1/2 onion , finely diced (brown, white or yellow) (~1/2 cup)
  • 2 tsp ginger , grated or minced
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced (2 tsp paste)
  • 1 birds eye or Thai chili , deseeded and finely chopped (can omit, Note 1)
  • 500g / 1 lb pork mince (ground pork) (Note 2)
  • 5 tbsp (tightly packed brown sugar (don't skimp, else won't caramelise)
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
Serving:
  • 1 green onion stem , finely sliced
  • jasmine rice or other rice for serving
  • Sliced red chilli, tomato, cucumber (optional)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat.
  2. Sauté - Add the onion, ginger, garlic and chili and cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Cook pork - Add the pork mince and cook for 2 minutes or so until white all over, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon.
  4. Add sauce & caramelise - Add the sugar and fish sauce. Stir, then leave it to cook without touching until all the juices cook out and the pork starts caramelised - about 2 minutes. Then stir it and leave it again, without stirring, for around 30 seconds to get more caramelisation. Repeat twice more until caramelised to your taste.
  5. Serve over jasmine or other rice, or vermicelli noodles, garnished with sliced green onion. For a low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice! I like to have chunks of plain cucumber and carrots on the side which is a classic way of making Vietnamese bowls.

Notes

  • Birds eye chilis are small red chilis that are usually around 3 to 4cm (1.5 - 2") long. They are very spicy! You can substitute with any chili you want, or even exclude it if you are making this for kids. Just adjust to your taste.
  • This dish is great to serve with sriracha on the side so people can add the amount of heat they want.
  • Other meat - recipe works great with chicken and turkey too. Beef will also work well.
  • Lemongrass is a lovely and very traditional Vietnamese herb used in dishes like this. 1 stalk, white part only, very VERY finely chopped. Add it into the skillet with the garlic. 
  • If you have lemongrass paste (see ingredient photo in post), add it with the brown sugar.
  • Nutrition is for the pork stir fry only, excludes the rice and assumes you use a lean pork (10% fat).

Nutrition Information

Serving 153g Calories 341cal (17%) Carbohydrates 17g (6%) Protein 22g (44%) Fat 13g (20%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Cholesterol 110mg (37%) Sodium 782mg (33%) Potassium 425mg (12%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 16g (32%) Vitamin A 30IU (1%) Vitamin C 3mg (3%) Calcium 40mg (4%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 341

% Daily Value*

Serving 153g
Calories 341cal 17%
Carbohydrates 17g 6%
Protein 22g 44%
Fat 13g 20%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 110mg 37%
Sodium 782mg 33%
Potassium 425mg 9%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 16g 32%
Vitamin A 30IU 1%
Vitamin C 3mg 3%
Calcium 40mg 4%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.