Bao buns, traditionally filled with seasoned pork belly and loads of fresh vegetables, are a fun treat but sometimes hard to come by and even more involved to make. However, I plan ahead with my leftover pork roasts and make bowls inspired by these Vietnamese treats.
Tender pork shoulder roasts make highly flavorful, tender pork that's ideal for shredding and frying until crisp. That crispy fried texture is then mixed with fresh, crisp vegetables and laid over a bed of tender noodles. The result is a noodle bowl that feels a little like a salad and a lot like the most delicious dinner you've had in quite some time!
I tend to think of these bowls as a meal in themselves so I just pour a glass of iced tea, wine, or beer and dig in. Hot sauce or fish sauce based sauces at the table can be a fun touch too.
Bao Bun Noodle Bowls
- 2 c. leftover pork - choose something tender, I used some of this
- 1 T. cooking fat - I chose bacon fat
- 1 tsp. spicy seasoning blend - I used a blend containing cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne, garlic, nutmeg, cinnamon, and turmeric
- 6 oz. rice vermicelli or linguine noodles - cooked
- 2 T. hoisin sauce
- ½ cucumber - sliced thin
- 1 carrot - shredded
- ½ c. chopped or julienned radish
- 2 T. chopped green onions
- 2 T. chopped peanuts
Cook your leftover pork in the cooking fat of your choice until it is crispy. I shredded my pork. If you prefer, you can chop it into small pieces; you want a lot of surface area to crisp up. Season as desired as you cook it, but favor some heat.
Meanwhile, divide the bowl ingredients into 2-3 large bowls, layering the noodles (toss them with the hoisin sauce), cucumber, carrot, and radish.
Top each bowl with equal amounts of the crispy pork and garnish with chopped green onions and peanuts.
- Yields: 2-3 servings
- Preparation Time: 20 minutes