Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Rice Bowls

by 30MinuteMeals
Prep: 5m
Cook: 10m
pork
Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Rice Bowls - Image

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Ingredients
Servings:4
1tbspvegetable oil
1/2yellow onion
2garlic
1lbground pork
3tbspbrown sugar
2tbspfish sauce
2tspchicken bouillon
black pepper
1green onion
3cupjasmine rice
1cucumber
Nutrition Facts

Per serving

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Instructions
  1. 1

    Start the aromatics

    Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Dice the half onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion and cook 2 minutes until it softens, then add the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

  1. 2

    Brown the pork

    Add the ground pork and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook about 3 minutes, until it loses its pink and the liquid cooks off. Don't drain it.

  2. 3

    Caramelize

    Stir in the brown sugar, fish sauce, chicken bouillon, and a few grinds of black pepper. Keep it over the heat, stirring, another 3 minutes until the pork turns deep golden and the sauce glazes every bite. This is where the flavor is built, so don't cut it short.

  3. 4

    Build the bowls

    Spoon the pork over steamed jasmine rice. Top with sliced green onion and a handful of sliced cucumber for crunch. Serve hot.

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Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Rice Bowls

Created by: 30MinuteMeals

Prep Time: 5m
Cook Time: 10m
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/2 yellow onion
  • 2 garlic
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tsp chicken bouillon
  • black pepper
  • 1 green onion
  • 3 cup jasmine rice
  • 1 cucumber

Instructions

  1. Start the aromaticsHeat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Dice the half onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion and cook 2 minutes until it softens, then add the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Brown the porkAdd the ground pork and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook about 3 minutes, until it loses its pink and the liquid cooks off. Don't drain it.
  3. CaramelizeStir in the brown sugar, fish sauce, chicken bouillon, and a few grinds of black pepper. Keep it over the heat, stirring, another 3 minutes until the pork turns deep golden and the sauce glazes every bite. This is where the flavor is built, so don't cut it short.
  4. Build the bowlsSpoon the pork over steamed jasmine rice. Top with sliced green onion and a handful of sliced cucumber for crunch. Serve hot.

Notes & Tips

This is the weeknight dinner that punches way above the effort it takes. Ten minutes in the pan, standard pantry stuff, and it tastes like you fussed. The move is the sugar-and-fish-sauce combo: it caramelizes into a salty-sweet glaze that clings to the pork, so don't rush that last few minutes and don't drain the fat before it hits the pan. The cucumber isn't a garnish afterthought either -- the cool crunch is what keeps the bowl from feeling heavy. Ground chicken, turkey, or beef all sub in fine if that's what's in the fridge. Serve over rice, or cauliflower rice if you're keeping it light.