Vietnamese Minced Pork

Vietnamese Minced Pork!

The Paleo version of a childhood favorite!  A very quick (~10 minutes), easy and tasty dish to make.

I know a lot of my recent posts have been recipes.  I am trying to stick to a strict Paleo diet for the next few weeks after some bad WOD performances during the second week of August.  Look for a couple posts on my experience and how to eat clean while surrounded by free food in a couple weeks!

Before starting to cook this recipe, be sure you have everything chopped up and ready to go.  You will not have time to chop stuff up while the food is cooking!  It's good idea to keep the ingredients nearby, and the water right next to the wok.

This dish yields about 2-3 servings.


Tools:

• Wok
• Food Processor

Ingredients:

• 1.5lb Ground Pork
• 1 Very Small Red Onion, finely chopped
• 1-2 Green Onion stalks, finely chopped
• 2 Jalapenos, finely chopped
• 1-15 Thai Chili Peppers, finely chopped (these are A LOT hotter than jalapenos)
• 6 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped (or 1 Tbsp minced)
• 3/4 - 1 Cup Thai Basil Leaves (keep the flowers)
• 1 Tbsp Coconut Aminos (or 1 Tbsp Wheat-free Tamari if soy is ok, taste better)
• 1/4 Cup Water
• Macadamia Nut Oil (or some kind of nut oil for frying)
• Salt and Pepper

Instructions:

1. Gather all ingredients.  Chop up the red onion, jalapeno, and Thai chili peppers with a knife, or a food processor if you are lazy like me.  Note on the Thai chili peppers: if you go to an Americanized Thai restaurant and get a plate with "spicy level 10 (the max)," this is equivalent to about 3-4 Thai chili peppers.  Pick off the Thai basil leaves and also save the flowers.
   

   2. Thai basil flower.
   
   
   3. Thai Chili Peppers.
2. Heat the Macadamia Nut Oil over HIGH heat and add the chopped red onions to the wok.  Cook until slightly brown, or approximately a minute.
3. Add the chopped Thai chili peppers, garlic, and jalapenos to the wok, still over high heat.  Cook for about a minute.
   
   
   4. Chopped peppers and onion.
4. Add the pork.  Break the pork up into tiny bits, as tiny as you can get them.  I like to use two wooden spoons.  Add the coconut aminos, salt and pepper.  Cook over high heat until the pork is fully cooked.  It is important that the wok is at high heat during the entire time.  There will be a lot of smoke, but it helps bring out the flavor.  Turning on the fan helps.
   
   
   5. Break the pork into tiny pieces.
5. Once the pork is fully cooked, add the water (still smoking).  You don't have to add the entire quarter cup.  Then add the basil leaves and flowers.  Keep stirring until the basil leaves are cooked.  Turn the heat off.  Add the green onions.
   
   
   

   

   6. Adding Thai basil leaves.
6. Serve and enjoy!  I served it with The Primal Palate's Cauliflower Rice (best Paleo "rice" recipe out there) and roasted broccoli and carrots.  They are also delicious wrapped in lettuce, for even more simplicity!

7. Cauliflower rice with green onions.

8. Roasted carrots and broccoli tossed in macadamia nut oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

9. Yum!

This dish tastes even better as leftovers the next day!  Microwaving it makes the meat kind of crispy.