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Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Bowls

Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Bowls

Rika
This Vietnamese Caramelized Pork is a great mince pork stir fry recipe that you should try. It's so flavorful and can be done at your dinner table in less than 30 minutes. It's definitely tastier and faster than any Asian take-out.
4.89 from 52 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Vietnamese
Servings 4
Calories 446 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 pound pork mince, (ground pork)
  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil , (divided) - such as canola, vegetable, or peanut oil.
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 large fresh red chili pepper, (such as Jalapeno or Serrano) seeded and diced
  • ½ cup thinly sliced shallots, (lightly packed)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar, (or add more for a sweeter taste and according to your liking)
  • 2 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce
  • zest from 1 lime
  • lime, (freshly squeezed) - use more according to your liking and more for serving
  • 3 scallions, (white and green parts - thinly sliced)

Optional:

  • salt and black pepper, (to taste)

Instructions
 

  • Heat 1½ tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add pork and cook undisturbed for 1 minute. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper then cook for 4 minutes or until brown.
    Transfer the pork to a colander to remove the excess liquid and fat. Drain and set aside.
  • Heat 1½ tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add shallots, cook for 1 minute, then add ginger and chili and cook for 1 minute. Add garlic and cook for about 15 seconds. Keep stirring.
  • Add the browned pork back into the pot and stir. Add fish sauce and brown sugar. Stir then let it cook undisturbed to caramelize for about 1 minute. Stir again for a few seconds and let it cook undisturbed for another 1 minute.
    Gently scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan to prevent burning.
    Repeat this process if necessary or until you reach the desired consistency or crispiness. The pork meat should turn golden brown with caramelized flavors. Do not overcook to prevent burnt taste and dry meat. Add salt and pepper if necessary.
  • Add chopped scallions, lime zest, and lime juice. Give it a quick stir for a few seconds, then turn off the heat. Serve with white rice or lettuce and more lime juice if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Step #1 is crucial, do not skip it.
  2. The Nutrition is for the caramelized minced pork only. It doesn't include white rice or lettuce.
  3. Other Meat Besides Pork: ground beef, turkey, or chicken. 
  4. Lime. You can replace lime with lemon if that's the only thing you have available. 
  5. Shallots. You can also use red onions but must cook them a bit longer until soft and translucent. 
  6. Garlic and ginger. If you love garlic and ginger, feel free to double the amount. 
  7. Vietnamese Fish Sauce: I used Viet Huong Fish Sauce (also known as Three Crabs Fish Sauce). You can find them at Target, Ralph's, or any Asian grocers for around  $4-$6 per big bottle. Alternatively, you can use Thai fish sauce. Please note that not all fish sauce products/brands are created equal and they usually have different sodium levels (ex: Thai fish sauce has a lower sodium content than Vietnamese fish sauce). To add saltiness to the dish, just add a small amount of salt. Do not go overboard with fish sauce or all you’ll taste is fish sauce.
  8. Fresh chili pepper. If you are worried about the spicy level, use red bell pepper instead of red chili pepper or skip it.  If you can't find red jalapeno or red serrano pepper, you can use 1-2 small pieces of Thai chili peppers or more as a replacement ingredient. 
  9. If you want to serve this as an appetizer, choose lettuce, cucumber, and some pickled vegetables. Or, serve it as a main dish with some brown or white rice, noodles, fried egg, and/or Korean spinach salad.

Nutrition

Calories: 446kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 21gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 778mgPotassium: 475mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 104IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!