Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Rice Bowl

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil (I use avocado oil)
• 1/2 onion, finely diced (brown, white, or yellow) (roughly 1/2 cup)
• 2 tsp ginger, grated or minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (or 2 tsp garlic paste)
• 1 bird’s eye or Thai chili, deseeded and finely chopped (Note 1)
• 1 lb (500g) ground pork (Note 2)
• 5 tbsp brown sugar substitute
• 2 tbsp fish sauce

For Serving:

• 1 green onion stem, finely sliced
• Brown, Jasmine or Basmati rice
• Sliced red chili, tomato, cucumber (optional)

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat.
2. Add the onion, ginger, garlic, and chili. Cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Add the ground pork and cook for 2-3 minutes until it turns white all over, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon.
4. Stir in the brown sugar substitute and fish sauce. Allow the mixture to cook undisturbed until the juices evaporate and the pork starts to caramelize—about 2 minutes. Stir and cook again for 30 seconds without touching to achieve more caramelization. Repeat this process twice more until the pork is caramelized to your taste.
5. Serve over rice, garnished with sliced green onions. For a low-carb option, serve with cauliflower rice.
6. Add cucumber, tomato and carrot slices on the side for a traditional Vietnamese bowl experience.

Notes:

1. Adjust the chili based on your spice tolerance.
2. Ground turkey or chicken can be substituted for a leaner option.