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Grilled Pork Banh Mi Bowls

Grilled Pork Banh Mi Bowls reads umami 8.5, salinity 6.9 and funk & ferment 5.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Vietnamese main, about 53 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.5 · Salinity 6.9 · Funk & Ferment 5.9 · Sourness 4.8 · Marine & Briny 4.7 · Citrus 4.2 · Richness 4.1 · Sweetness 4.0 · Herbaceous 3.9 · Allium 3.4 · Heat 2.8 · Fruity 1.2 · Earthy 1.2 · Bitterness 0.9 · Warm Spice 0.9 · Floral 0.8 · Smoke 0.7

What's in it (15)

Time & effort: about 53 min (8 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 110.4 kcal, 8.3 g protein, 2.2 g fat, 14.2 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar, 3 cloves of the minced garlic, and the vegetable oil. Add the pork and toss to coat completely. Let marinate at room temperature at least 20 minutes, or refrigerate up to 4 hours.
  2. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk the rice vinegar, the remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt until the sugar dissolves. Add the carrots and radishes, toss well, and let pickle at room temperature, stirring once or twice, at least 20 minutes.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon fish sauce, the lime juice, the remaining 2 cloves minced garlic, and the sriracha with 2 tablespoons water to make the dressing; set aside.
  4. Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill over high heat until smoking hot, then brush the grates lightly with oil. Lift the pork from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and lay the medallions in a single layer on the grill. Grill undisturbed until deeply charred on the first side, 3 to 4 minutes.
  5. Flip the pork and grill until the second side is charred and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest medallion reads 145F, 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer to a cutting board and rest 5 minutes.
  6. While the pork rests, stir the remaining 1 teaspoon salt into the warm rice.
  7. Slice the rested pork against the grain into thin strips.
  8. Divide the rice among four bowls. Top each with sliced pork, a portion of the drained pickled carrots and radishes, and a few slices of jalapeño.
  9. Drizzle each bowl with the fish sauce dressing, then scatter the cilantro and mint over the top. Serve right away with lime wedges and extra sriracha, if you like.

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Keep reading: what umami, salinity, funk & ferment mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.