Vietnamese Minced Pork Red Oakleaf Cups with Nuoc Cham & Crushed Peanuts
Seasoned minced pork ladled into Aeroveg Red Oakleaf cups with crushed peanuts and nuoc cham — Vietnam's answer to finger food, done in 25 minutes.
In Vietnamese home cooking, fresh leaves wrapped around seasoned meat are a gesture of abundance — the more herbs and greens piled in, the better. Aeroveg Red Oakleaf is an ideal cup: its leaves are wide, pliable, and gently bitter, which balances the savoury, caramelised pork without competing with the herbs. Lemongrass brings the fragrance; nuoc cham ties everything together with a hit of sour-sweet heat.
Method
- Make the nuoc cham. Combine fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, warm water, garlic, and chilli. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust — it should be bright, a little salty, and gently spicy. Set aside.
- Fry the aromatics. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and lemongrass, frying for 1 minute until fragrant and just starting to colour.
- Cook the pork. Add minced pork, breaking it apart with a spoon. Fry for 4–5 minutes until cooked through and the edges start to caramelise. Add fish sauce, sugar, and red chilli. Toss well, then remove from heat.
- Rest briefly. Let the pork cool for 2 minutes before assembling — this stops the leaves from wilting on contact.
- Arrange. Lay the Aeroveg Red Oakleaf leaves out on a large plate, cup-side up. The natural bowl shape of the leaf holds everything in.
- Fill and garnish. Spoon the minced pork into each leaf. Top with bean sprouts, mint, and crushed peanuts.
- Serve with nuoc cham poured over just before eating, and lime wedges alongside.
Aeroveg Red Oakleaf has a gentle, pleasant bitterness that grounds the richness of minced pork far better than iceberg would. Select the largest, most open leaves from the pack for cups — keep them refrigerated until just before assembly so they stay crisp and upright.