With an insanely delicious combination of textures and flavours and a great balance of macro and micronutrients. If you are looking for a Winter salad recipe (ok, ok, of course anytime of year!) to warm and energise you – THIS. IS. IT.
I’ve used pork fillet in this recipe, marinated in a flavourbomb combination of garlic, gochujang, ginger, soy sauce, and honey. Pork fillet is low in fat and saturated fat, an easy to cook cut of meat and beautifully tender once cooked. It’s a great way to pack a source of protein into a salad or meal like this, as well as thiamin for energy and niacin to reduce mental fatigue too.
The spiciness of the pork fillet marinade is complimented by the sweet freshness of pineapple and incredible crunch factor of the crispy rice, beans, cucumber and edamame. The dressing takes it all to a whole new level of delish – happy cooking my friends!
*This is a partnered post with Australian Pork, all thoughts and opinions expressed are the author’s own*
ASIAN CRISPY RICE AND SPICY PORK FILLET SALAD
Serves 4
Gluten free (opt) : Dairy Free
2x 400g pork fillets
⅓ cup soy sauce or tamari (for GF)
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh garlic
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Gochujang paste
Crispy rice:
2 cups cooked white rice, such as Jasmine rice
1 ½ tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
Salad:
1 ½ cups cooked edamame
2 Lebanese cucumber, finely sliced in quarters
1 ½ cups fresh green beans, trimmed and finely sliced
1 ½ cups fresh pineapple pieces
3 Asian shallots, trimmed, white and green parts finely sliced
1 cup fresh picked coriander leaves + extra for garnish
Dressing:
3 tbsp hulled tahini
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp sesame oil
Marinate the pork in the morning before cooking or the day before for best results. Make the marinade by combining soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, honey and Gochujang paste in a bowl and whisk to bring the ingredients together. Place pork fillets into a container and pour the marinade over the top, then turn the pork through the marinade to coat. Refrigerate to marinate and turn a few times throughout. When ready to make the meal, get the pork out of the fridge for 20 minutes, approximately, to bring to room temperature. Heat the oven to 200C and line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper. Add the rice to a mixing bowl with sesame oil and soy sauce/tamari and toss to coat, breaking up any rice clumps as you go. Spread over the baking tray evenly. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Whilst the rice is cooking, prepare the ingredients for the salad and whisk together all ingredients for the dressing. Add all salad ingredients to a large serving bowl, drizzle with the tahini soy dressing, toss to coat, and set aside. Place pork fillets in a lined baking dish and pour all the marinade over the top. Once the rice has cooked for 20 minutes, toss and spread again, then place back into the oven, along with the pork tray to cook for a further 15-20 minutes (keep an eye on the rice to ensure it doesn’t burn – aim for a beautiful golden crunch). The pork is cooked once the internal temperature hits around 65C (use a meat thermometer for this if you have available). Once the rice is cooked, allow to cool on the tray. When the pork is cooked, allow it to rest for 3-4 minutes before slicing ready to serve. Divide the salad between serving bowls, top with sliced pork fillet and drizzle any remaining marinade from the oven tray over the pork. Sprinkle the crispy rice over the salad and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
