Vietnamese Pork with Lemongrass & Chilli
It’s amazing just how much flavour this Vietnamese pork with Lemongrass can pack in! Tender pork is stir-fried in the most intoxicating, fragrant South-East Asian sauce. So tasty, so easy… learn how.

This Vietnamese Pork with Lemongrass & Chilli brings together some of my most favourite flavours. Lemongrass is a thing of wonder - such a fantastic aroma and so versatile in the cuisines of South East Asia. From enhancing curries like my delicious Thai Yellow Curry with Minced Pork or the decadent and impossibly tasty Indonesian Beef Rendang and the absolute perfection that is Malaysian Prawn Laksa - lemongrass sits centre stage.
Salty. Sweet. Sour. Spice.
Generally speaking, Vietnamese food is simple, fresh and flavoursome. It's milder in spice than its neighbour Thailand, opting instead for the heady aromatics of lemongrass, herbs, salty fish sauce and the sweetness of sugar. These four flavour profiles are the perfect marriage of salty, sweet, sour and at times a little spice. Vietnamese food is a fresh burst of flavour - you can feel the goodness with every bite.
A simple Vietnamese pork stir-fry that delivers big flavour
This stir fry delivers on flavour - in fact it's quite the powerhouse. And - it's really very simple to cook. The whole thing is ready in 20 minutes. The time it takes for the rice to cook. That makes it perfect for a tasty lunch or mid-week dinner. Are you ready to surrender to the delicious world of Vietnamese food?
More Vietnamese recipes
Why not try one of my other favourite Vietnamese dishes? My Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly with Eggs – Thit Kho, Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Chops and Vietnamese Bun Cha Vermicelli Salad are three of my favourite things to eat in the World!
How to Make my Vietnamese Pork with Lemongrass & Chilli
Ingredients
- 18 oz (500g) pork steaks (cut into bite size pieces)
- 2 tbsp peanut oil (or vegetable/canola etc.)
- 1 lemongrass stalk (pounded into a pulp)
- 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
- 2 Thai chillies (red or green - deseeded and sliced thinly)
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
Instructions
- Mix together the sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce and pepper with 3/4 cup of just boiled water. Stir until the sugar is dissolved then set aside.
- Heat the oil in a wok until just hot. Drop in the garlic and stir briefly (20 seconds). Add the lemongrass and chilli and stir for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the pork and stir fry for 1-2 minutes then pour in the sugar/fish sauce/soy sauce liquid.
- Turn up the heat and simmer vigorously for 2-3 minutes until lightly caramalised. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.
- Serve alongside freshly boiled Jasmine Rice or Vietnamese Broken Rice (see pic). You can also serve a simple pickled salad of cucumber, scallions and tomato slices dressed with a combination of 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp sugar & 2 tbsp rice vinegar.
Nutrition

Did you make my Vietnamese Pork with Lemongrass & Chilli?
How did you go? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to tag @cookeatworld at Instagram.
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