Spicy Thai Pork Tenderloin Salad

By Melissa Clark

Published July 28, 2015

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
40 minutes, plus marinating time
Rating
5(2,780)
Comments
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There are a lot of ingredients in this bright and bold-tasting pork salad recipe; they add up to a vibrant dish you can serve warm or at room temperature to a spice-loving crowd. Lean pork tenderloin is marinated with chiles, ginger root and cilantro, grilled or broiled, then combined with cabbage, fresh herbs and nuts and coconut for richness. A bit of reserved marinade serves as the dressing. The recipe makes a large batch; you can halve it or make the whole thing and enjoy the leftovers.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

FOR THE MARINADE AND DRESSING

  • 1 ½ pounds boneless pork tenderloin (usually 2 tenderloins)

  • ⅔ cup thinly sliced shallots (about 4 shallots)

  • ⅔ cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems

  • 5 tablespoons light brown sugar

  • 6 garlic cloves, grated

  • 5 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 5 tablespoons peanut or grapeseed oil

  • Juice and zest of 4 limes

  • 3-inch piece peeled ginger root, grated

  • 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste

  • 1 to 2 Thai bird, serrano or jalapeño chile peppers, seeded and minced

FOR THE SALAD

  • 8 cups Napa or regular cabbage, thinly sliced

  • 5 whole scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

  • 2 small Kirby or Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced

  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

  • 1 ½ cups cilantro leaves

  • 1 ½ cups mint leaves

  • 1 cup basil leaves

  • 1 ¼ cups roasted cashews or peanuts, toasted and chopped

  • ¼ cup unsweetened coconut chips or large flakes, toasted

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 to 8 servings)

30 grams carbs; 55 milligrams cholesterol; 413 calories; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 24 grams fat; 7 grams fiber; 1115 milligrams sodium; 25 grams protein; 13 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pat pork dry with paper towel. In a bowl, combine shallot, cilantro, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, garlic, soy sauce, peanut or grapeseed oil, lime zest and juice, ginger, fish sauce, salt and chile. Pour a quarter of the mixture into a blender, add remaining sugar and purée until a smooth, loose paste forms. (Save the unblended mixture to use as dressing.)

  2. Step 2

    Place tenderloin in a large bowl and spread the paste all over pork. Marinate at room temperature for 2 hours, or cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours; turn the tenderloin occasionally.

  3. Step 3

    Light the grill or heat the broiler and arrange a rack at least 4 inches from the heat. Grill or broil pork, turning occasionally, until well browned and meat reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees, 4 to 10 minutes per side depending upon the heat of your broiler or grill. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t overcook. Let meat rest while you prepare the salad. (Or, cook the pork 1 or 2 hours ahead and serve it at room temperature.)

  4. Step 4

    In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients, reserving the herbs, cashews and coconut. Whisk the dressing and use just enough to dress the salad, tossing to combine. Let sit for a few minutes for the flavors to meld, then right before serving, add herbs and toss again.

  5. Step 5

    To serve, slice the pork. Arrange salad on a platter and top with sliced pork. Scatter cashews and coconut on top, drizzle with a little more of the remaining dressing, to taste.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,780 user ratings
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Comments

brooklynjen

Tasty & quick. I found it a little fussy to slice/grate all the ingredients for the dressing, and next time I make it I'll just blitz everything in the blender as she has you do for the same ingredients for the marinade. The salad has so much texture that I don't think you'd notice the change. A keeper.

Sunny

This salad was delicious! It would be great with any protein. I added pieces of mango which was a great addition.

Susan

I'm going to try it with no sugar at all. I have made similar dishes without the sugar and no one misses it (even the people who eat sugar).

Linda Reich

This was really lovely and not as time consuming as some of the comments might suggest. I went a bit lighter in the mint and a bit heavier on basil and agree you could cut the sugar in 1/2 without noticeable difference. By all means blend everything if the spirit moves you but there is always going to be at least meditative value in slicing and chopping…

Eliz Meek

I have made this 3 times, pretty much as written, and have found the combination of textures and flavors to be worth the significant effort. It is a great light summer salad and company-worthy, especially when the pork is grilled and served with grilled summer squash and maybe some corn on the cob.

ELPTEE

I concur with many past comments that this recipe is amazing! There is prep work involved with chopping, slicing, and grating but it is absolutely worth it and not too hard at all. If you want something with lots of flavor and texture this is it!

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