Description
This vibrant Banh Mi Rice Bowl brings the beloved flavors of the classic Vietnamese sandwich into a hearty, comforting bowl. Featuring fragrant jasmine rice, savory ground pork cooked with soy, hoisin, and fish sauce, and crisp pickled vegetables, this recipe balances sweet, sour, and spicy elements perfectly. Finished with a creamy Sriracha mayo, fresh cilantro, and jalapeños, it’s an easy, delicious meal ready in just 35 minutes.
Ingredients
Rice
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 2 cups water
Pork and Sauce
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Pickled Vegetables
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup radishes, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Spicy Mayo
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
Garnishes
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish
- Sliced jalapeños, for garnish
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the Rice: In a medium saucepan, combine the jasmine rice and water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and let it simmer gently for 18 to 20 minutes until the rice is tender and water is absorbed.
- Prepare Pickled Vegetables: In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until the sugar dissolves completely. Add the julienned carrot, thinly sliced cucumber, and radishes to the bowl. Toss to coat and let the vegetables pickle for at least 15 minutes to develop a tangy flavor.
- Sauté Garlic: Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant but not browned, to bring out its aroma.
- Cook Ground Pork: Add the ground pork to the skillet with the garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork is fully browned and crumbly, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add Sauces to Pork: Stir in the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and fish sauce into the cooked pork. Continue cooking for an additional 2 to 3 minutes to let the flavors meld thoroughly.
- Make Spicy Mayo: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and Sriracha sauce. Mix well until the sauce is smooth and evenly blended.
- Assemble the Bowls: Divide the cooked jasmine rice evenly among four serving bowls. Top each with a generous portion of the savory ground pork, a helping of pickled vegetables, fresh cilantro leaves, and sliced jalapeños. Drizzle the spicy mayo over the top and serve each bowl with a wedge of lime on the side for squeezing over.
Notes
- For a vegetarian option, substitute ground pork with crumbled tofu or tempeh and use vegetarian hoisin sauce.
- Adjust the Sriracha quantity to control the spice level in the mayo.
- Leftover rice can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated before serving.
- Pickled vegetables can be made a few hours ahead to deepen the flavor.
