Bahn Mi Bowls

I love Banh Mi sandwiches, but have been experimenting with gluten free, hence the bowl! And, I love, love, love this bowl. It’s got everything I love right in one bowl. Pickled vegetables, hot jalapeños, spicy chicken, chicken, and rice. Yum!

Ingredients:

For the pickled vegetables ~
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced with the peeler
3 radishes, thinly sliced with a mandolin
1 small cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbs water
1 Tbs brown sugar

For the chicken or pork~
1 large chicken breast or 1/2 pound pork tenderloin, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
1 Tbs low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbs fish sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs grated ginger
1Tbs minced lemongrass
1Tbs brown sugar
1 tsp sriracha or chili paste
1 Tbs olive oil

2 cups cooked brown rice or quinoa

For the toppings~
2 Tbs cilantro, chopped
1 Tbs green onions or chives, thinly sliced
1 Tbs cashews, chopped
2 Tbs chopped pickled jalapenos
2 Tbs mayonnaise mixed with 1 tsp sriracha and 1 tsp seasoned rice vinegar

Directions:

Pour the ingredients for the pickling solution in a bowl, and add the vegetables. Let sit for 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight. Slice the pork or chicken, mix the remaining ingredients together in a bowl, then add the meat. Let it sit for about an hour, or refrigerate it overnight. Drain any liquid from the chicken or pork, then heat a skillet over medium heat and cook until done. Drain the liquid from the pickled vegetables. To assemble and serve, place about 1 cup of rice or quinoa in a bowl. Top with the chicken or pork, then half of the pickled vegetables and half of each of the remaining toppings. Serve.

Serves 2

Stealthy Cooking Tip: If you're looking to go gluten free or eat less bread, it's easy to substitute rice or quinoa for dishes that usually feature wheat products. In this case, I substituted rice for bread and turned a bahn mi sandwich into a bahn mi bowl.