Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Bowls *****

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tbsp cooking 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 (optional)
• 1 lb / 500g ground pork (preferred) or chicken/beef
• 5 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce

SERVING:

• 1 green onion stem , sliced
• Rice
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Sliced red chilli, tomato, cucumber (optional)
• Kimchi or steamed vegetable (optional)

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat.
• Add the onion, ginger, garlic and chili and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the pork mince and cook for 2 minutes or so until white all over, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon.
• Add the sugar and fish sauce. Stir, then leave it to cook without touching until all the juices cook out and the pork starts caramelized – about 2 minutes. Then stir it and leave it again, without stirring, for around 30 seconds to get more caramelization. Repeat twice more until caramelized to your taste.
• Serve over rice or vermicelli noodles, garnished with sliced scallions/shallots.
• Serve with kimchi, or steamed vegetable.
• TIPS: Can be used in fried rice.

ORIGINAL recipe