Sweet. Salty. Crispy. The winning trio that makes these Paleo Caramelized Pork “Noodle” Bowls so freakin delicious!
I could eat the pork on its own and forego all of the other toppings in a heart beat but if you want to take this dish to the next level I suggest including everything.
HOW TO SERVE Paleo Caramelized Pork “Noodle” Bowls
The key is to combine some crunch with something bitter and some fat to get the perfect mouthful.
Here are the toppings I like to use:
- Shredded red cabbage
- Shredded daikon
- Shredded carrots
- Cilantro
- Peanuts or cashews (for paleo diet)
Turn it into a bowl
I find this taste best on top of something neutral like shiratake noodles. It not only fulfills that noodle craving but it’s also fun to slurp. They’re also a great base to soak up the sauce. Top the noodles and pork with the ingredients above.
WHAT’S IN THE CARAMEL?
Making caramel is so so simple! It’s basically sugar plus water. The key is not to add too much water otherwise the sauce will be way too thin. You want this to be nice and sticky so that it gets soaked up by the pork.
In this recipe you’ll add fish sauce, shallots, and garlic to the caramel. The fish sauce is the true star, “umami bomb” that will give depth and richness to the dish.
WHAT IS COCONUT SUGAR?
It’s a natural sugar made from coconut palm sap, which is the sugary circulating fluid of the coconut plant.
As all types of sugar it’s best to not eat very much of it but sometimes you just crave some Caramelized Pork, what can I say?
Coconut sugar is a better alternative than other sugars since it does retain quite a bit of the nutrients found in the coconut palm.
In particular the minerals iron, zinc, calcium and potassium, along with some short-chain fatty acids like polyphenols and antioxidants.
It also contains a fiber called inulin which may slow glucose absorption. This is why coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index than regular table sugar.
Caramelized Pork “Noodle” Bowls
Ingredients
CARAMEL SAUCE
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar + 1 tbsp water
- 1 shallot minced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
PORK
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 lb ground pork pasture raised
BOWL
- 14 oz shirataki noodles
- 2 green parts only, thinly sliced
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 lime sliced into wedges
- 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
- 3 carrots, shredded
- 1 cup daikon, shredded
- 1/2 cup chopped cashews
Instructions
- Place the coconut sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and mix well. When it starts to bubble and look like caramel add the shallot, garlic, and fish sauce. Cook for 5 minutes on low heat to cook garlic a bit.
- In a separate skillet add 2 tbsp avocado oil and ground pork. Add salt to taste. Cook until crispy and then add the caramel sauce. Stir the sauce in well and cook for 3 more minutes.
- Rinse shirataki noodles with water.
- Mix the noodles into the ground pork. Top with cabbage, carrots, cilantro, daikon, and cashews.
Looking for other Asian recipe ideas. Take a look at these.
