Bahn Mi Noodle Bowls

Bread is not my favorite carb, so I often find myself eating around it when I order a sandwich. This is a shame because some of the most creative foods are sandwiches, case in point: the Bahn Mi. I’ve always loved this savory-yet-fresh Vietnamese combination, so I was very excited to find a way to recreate it with my favorite carb; noodles. This recipe exceeded my expectation in so many ways and to quote my roommate Liz, it is “one of the best things you’ve ever made.” See for yourself.

Serves 4.

·      1 pound ground pork

·      1 tablespoon hoisin

·      4 tablespoons sesame oil

·      3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger

·      3 tablespoons freshly grated garlic

·      ½ cup cilantro- chopped

·      1 jalapeno pepper- seeded and finely chopped

·      ½ cup panko bread crumbs

·      ½  cup shredded carrot

·      ½ cup thinly sliced cucumber

·      ½  cup thinly sliced radish

·      Juice of 4 limes

·      2 tablespoons sugar

·      ½ pound buckwheat soba noodles

• 1/2 cup peanut butter

• 1 1/4 cup water

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 1/4 cup lime juice

• 2 tablespoons sriracha

• ¼ cup unsalted peanuts

1.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.     In a sauce pan heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering add the ground ginger, garlic, and jalapeno to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes until the mixture is fragrant, set aside to cool.

3.     Meanwhile in small bowl combine half of the lime juice (about ¼ cup), 2 tablespoons water, and the sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar and create a vinaigrette, then add the sliced carrot, cucumber and radish. Set aside.

4.     In a large mixing bowl combine 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, hoisin, ground pork, panko bread crumbs, and cooled aromatics. Mix to combine.

5.     Using an ice cream scoop or your hands, roll the pork mixture into ½ inch balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

6.     Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the soba noodles per the package instructions.

7.     While the noodles cook, return the sauce pan used to cook the aromatics to the stove. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of sesame oil over medium-low heat. Add the peanut butter, sriracha, soy sauce, water, and remaining lime juice to the pan. Stir constantly and cook until the peanut sauce is smooth and combined, about 2 minutes. Toss with the soba noodles and set aside.

8.     Assemble the noodles, pickled vegetables and meatballs in a bowl. Top with crushed peanuts, cilantro and slices of jalapeno. Drizzle with reserved lime vinaigrette. Serve warm or at room temperature.