These san choy bow bowls are a fun and fuss-free twist on a family favourite dish. The pork mince is cooked with crunchy water chestnuts and carrot in a savoury sauce and served over rice noodles and shredded lettuce. These bowls are packed with flavour and will be on the table in around 30 minutes!
San choy bow is a classic recipe and one that is enjoyed by so many families, but one thing that always stops me from making it is that I am not the biggest fan of eating things in lettuce cups.
Call it controversial, but I would much prefer a big bowl that I can eat with a fork.
So that’s what we have here. All the components you would expect from san choy bow but piled into a bowl. Its so simple, easy and of course delicious. This one is definitely going to be on high rotation!
It really is the perfect weeknight dinner that everyone will love.
Key Ingredients
These bowls comes together with a pretty manageable shopping list, most of which you’ve likely already got in the pantry.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Pork Mince – ground pork is a delicious and affordable protein that works so well in these bowls, but you can also substitute with ground turkey for a leaner option.
- Rice noodles – rice stick noodles or vermicelli work best here.
- Sauce – for best best flavour the sauce is made from a combination of soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce and sesame oil. If you cook Asian-style recipes often, these should all be pantry staples.
- Garlic and ginger – you can use fresh for a stronger flavour or jarred for convenience.
- Water chestnuts – this is what makes these actually taste like san choy bow! They add such a satisfying crunch to the pork mixture I highly recommend adding them.
- Iceberg lettuce – for the base of the bowl mimicking the usual lettuce cups.
- Toppings – like any bowl, the best bit is the toppings! I am keeping it simple with just some crushed peanuts and fresh chilli for but fresh lime wedges, fried shallots or coriander/cilantro all work here.
You’ll Also Love: Spicy Pork and Peanut Noodles
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook your rice noodles according to the packet instructions, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop them sticking. Set aside.
Step 2: Mix together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil and water in a small bowl.
Step 3: Heat a little oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork mince and cook, breaking it up as you go, until browned and cooked through.
Step 4: Add the garlic, ginger and onion to the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened and fragrant. Stir in the grated carrot and water chestnuts and cook for a further 3–4 minutes.
Step 5: Pour the sauce over the pork mixture and stir well to coat everything. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes until the sauce reduces slightly.
Step 6: Divide the noodles between bowls, top with the shredded lettuce, then spoon over the pork mixture. Top with the peanuts and sliced chilli and serve.
👉Tip! Don’t skip rinsing the rice noodles under cold water after cooking. It stops them from sticking together in a big clump while you cook the pork, which makes assembling the bowls so much easier.
Storage Instructions
If you do have leftovers, store the pork mixture separately from the noodles and lettuce in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
Reheat the pork gently in a pan over low heat or in the microwave, then assemble the bowls.
The pork mixture also freezes really well on its own in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave.
Recipe FAQs
Of course. Chicken or Turkey mince work really well instead. For a vegetarian version you can use crumbled firm tofu similar to my tofu lettuce cups recipe.
Not at all. This dish is mild and family friendly as written. The spice is only added with the fresh chilli so you can omit these easily if you prefer.
Swap the soy sauce for tamari and make sure your oyster and hoisin sauces are labelled gluten free. Everything else in the recipe is naturally gluten free.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More bowl recipes:
BBQ Chicken Bowl
Burger Bowls
Teriyaki Beef Bowls
Chicken Katsu Rice Bowls
San Choy Bow Bowls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 200 g (7 oz) rice noodles
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for a gluten free option
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil such as vegetable or canola oil
- 500 grams (1 lb) pork mince
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger finely grated
- 1 small brown onion finely diced
- 1 medium carrot grated
- 227 gram (8 oz) can water chestnuts drained and finely chopped
- 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts roughly chopped
- 1-2 fresh red chillies finely sliced
Instructions
- Cook the rice noodles according to packet instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop them sticking together. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil and water until combined. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork mince and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through.
- Add the garlic, ginger and onion to the pan. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring regularly, until fragrant and softened.
- Stir in the carrot and water chestnuts. Cook for a further 3–4 minutes until slightly softened but still with a bit of crunch.
- Pour the sauce over the pork mixture and stir well to combine. Allow to simmer for 2–3 minutes until the sauce reduces slightly and coats the pork.
- Divide the rice noodles between bowls. Top with the shredded iceberg lettuce, then spoon over the hot pork mixture.
- Scatter over the peanuts and fresh chilli, and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
Made this recipe? Leave a review!