Vietnamese Pork Bao Buns, Sriracha Mayo, Pickled Daikon and Carrot

Asia is comprised of 48 countries, giving it a diversely robust food scene. Steamed buns are native to Chinese cuisine, but our FIT Bao Buns are inspired by flavors found all over the continent, from Vietnam to Saudi Arabia to Bangladesh to Thailand. This month, we're sharing some of those recipes with you!

Our recipe for Vietnamese Pork Bao is a riff on the classic Banh Mi. Savory pork, crunchy carrots and radish, creamy mayo, plus plenty of cilantro stuffed into a fluffy bun... all done just a little bit lighter. These bao are full of banh mi flavor while slashing saturated fat and sodium.

For a low-carb banh mi recipe, also try Tofu Cucumber Banh Mi.

Vietnamese Pork Bao Buns, Sriracha Mayo, Pickled Daikon and Carrot

Serving Size: 2 buns | Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

FOR THE PORK

1/3 ounce minced ginger

1/3 ounce chopped garlic

1-1/2 tablespoons sriracha

3/4 cup water

16 ounces bone pork loin

FOR THE PICKLED VEGETABLES

4 ounces carrots, cut in matchsticks

4 ounces daikon radish, cut in matchsticks

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup warm water

2 tablespoons sugar

5 tablespoons white vinegar

TO FINISH

3/4 cup light mayonnaise

1-1/2 tablespoons sriracha

12 bao buns (2 ounces each)*

12 sprigs cilantro

Instructions

We recommended planning ahead for this recipe! It is best to marinate the pork and allow the vegetables to pickle in the refrigerator overnight.

Prepare the pork: In a small pot, whisk together ginger, garlic, sriracha, and water over low heat. Simmer 15 minutes. Cool and transfer to a plastic bag. Add pork to bag with marinade, refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425°F and roast pork 25-35 minutes until internal temperature reaches 155°F. Rest 5-10 minutes and slice thin.
Pickle the vegetables: Toss carrots and daikon with salt. Place in a colander for 3 minutes and use a paper towel to gently press out excess water. Transfer to a glass jar or container. In a separate bowl, whisk together warm water and sugar until sugar dissolves. Stir in vinegar. Pour pickling liquid over carrots and daikon and marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Drain before serving.
To finish: In a small bowl, whisk together light mayo and sriracha. Steam buns according to package instructions. Spread ~1 TBSP sriracha mayo in the center of each bao bun. Divide pork and pickled vegetables evenly between all bao buns (~1 oz pork, ~1 oz pickled vegetables). Top each with fresh cilantro.

*Find bao buns in international aisles in grocery stores, at specialty gourmet stores, or international grocers.

Nutrition information per serving: 500 calories, 13 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 530 mg sodium, 67 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 17 g sugar, 23 g protein

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