This bagoong rice recipe is a playground of Thai flavor thanks to salty shrimp paste, sweet pork, spicy chilies, and green mango.
This Thai-inspired rice bowl gets most of its flavor from the bagoong. Use the best or your favorite brand. The sweet pork cooks easily, but can be switched out for any leftover meat you have in your fridge.
Julienned green mangoes provide a refreshing tanginess that cuts through the salty shrimp paste. You want to get a mango that isn't too raw or too ripe, since raw green mangoes are as tough as twigs and the overripe ones are too mushy.
Cook the Sweet Pork: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until golden and aromatic. Add pork tenderloin, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pork is browned, about 3–5 minutes. Remove porkfrom the pan and set aside.
Make the Bagoong Rice: Add 3 tbsp oil to the same pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add bagoong or Thai shrimp paste. Cook for another minute.
Toss in leftover rice, breaking up clumps with a spatula. Stir and toss until rice is heated through and the bagoong is well distributed.
Transfer rice to a plate and garnish with cucumber slices, green mango strips, scrambled egg, sweet pork, and minced chili. Serve while hot.
When choosing a mango, it’s best to give it a gentle squeeze first to check its firmness since it determines the fruit’s ripeness. The softer it is, the riper.
