Vietnamese-style Caramelized Minced Beef Rice Bowls Recipe
We've got sweet, savoury, a hint of spiciness and load of umami flavour in this comforting bowl-food-dinner.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil
- 500 g (1.1lbs) minced beef (10-15% fat)
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 3 red or green Birds eye chillies finely sliced
- 2 tsp lemongrass paste
- 6 tbsp (1/3 cup) tightly packed light brown sugar
- 1.5 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 5 spring onions (scallions) finely sliced (green and white bits)
Pickled onion and carrot
- 1 small red onion peeled and finely sliced
- 1 large carrot peeled and sliced into very thin strips
- 3 tbsp cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- ½ tsp sugar
To Serve:
- 840 g (4 cups) boiled rice
- 4 baby cucumbers or half a regular cucumber, chopped into small pieces
- 8 cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 tbsp mixed black and white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Start with the pickled onion and carrot. Place the onion and carrot slices into a shallow bowl.1 small red onion, 1 large carrot
- Drizzle over the vinegar and sugar. Toss together and put to one side.3 tbsp cider vinegar or white wine vinegar, ½ tsp sugar
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat.2 tbsp oil
- Add the minced beef and fry for 5-6 minutes, breaking up and large pieces with a wooden spoon, until the beef is lightly browned.500 g (1.1lbs) minced beef
- Add the garlic, chillies and lemongrass paste and stir together.3 cloves garlic, 3 red or green Birds eye chillies, 2 tsp lemongrass paste
- Add the sugar and stir together. Fry for 4-5 minutes (still over a high heat), stirring often, until the beef starts to darken and caramelize.6 tbsp (1/3 cup) tightly packed light brown sugar
- Add the fish sauce, soy sauce, salt, white pepper and spring onions and stir and fry for a further minute, then turn off the heat.1.5 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp white pepper, 5 spring onions (scallions)
- Divide the rice between four bowls, then top with the caramelized beef. Arrange the pickled onion and carrot on top, along with the cucumber and tomatoes.840 g (4 cups) boiled rice, 4 baby cucumbers, 8 cherry tomatoes
- Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and serve.1 tbsp mixed black and white sesame seeds
Video
Notes
Can it be made ahead?
This dish is best served fresh, but you can make the pickled veg and minced beef ahead (or save leftovers) and it will be almost as good.
Make the pickled veg ahead, cover and store in the refrigerator for up to two days (the carrot will take on more of the purple colour of the red onion, the longer you leave it).
Make the minced beef part of the dish, cool, cover and refrigerate for up to two days.
Reheat until piping hot through - either in a frying pan with a splash of oil (my preferred option, so it's a bit crispy), or in the microwave.
Make the pickled veg ahead, cover and store in the refrigerator for up to two days (the carrot will take on more of the purple colour of the red onion, the longer you leave it).
Make the minced beef part of the dish, cool, cover and refrigerate for up to two days.
Reheat until piping hot through - either in a frying pan with a splash of oil (my preferred option, so it's a bit crispy), or in the microwave.
Can I freeze it?
Yes, you can freeze the minced beef and rice part of this dish.
Cook the dish, quickly cool, place in an airtight container and freeze.
Reheat straight from frozen in the microwave, until piping hot.
Or
Defrost in the refrigerator overnight (and don’t store for more than 24 hours). Then reheat the rice in the microwave and fry up the mince in a frying pan with a splash of oil.
Nutritional information is approximate, per serving (this recipe serves 4) Cook the dish, quickly cool, place in an airtight container and freeze.
Reheat straight from frozen in the microwave, until piping hot.
Or
Defrost in the refrigerator overnight (and don’t store for more than 24 hours). Then reheat the rice in the microwave and fry up the mince in a frying pan with a splash of oil.
INCLUDING the boiled rice, picked vegetables, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and sesame seeds.
Remove 273 calories and 5.75grams of protein if NOT using the rice.
Nutrition
Calories: 694kcal | Carbohydrates: 90g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1039mg | Potassium: 918mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 3214IU | Vitamin C: 64mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 5mg
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