Soba Noodle Salad with Fresh Veggies, Savory Pork, and Spicy-Citrusy Dressing
Serves 4
Adapted from The Washington Post
For Spicy-Citrusy Dressing:
¼ cup sweet chili sauce
Juice from 1 lime (about 3 tablespoons)
2½ tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1½ tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
For Salad:
9-10 ounces soba noodles, broken in half before cooking
4 boneless pork chops (about 5 to 6 ounces each) (if you go with bone-in pork chops, each one should weigh closer to 6-7 ounces)
Black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 green onions, sliced into 1½ - 2 inch pieces
½ cucumber, seeds removed, cut into matchsticks about 1½ - 2 inch in length
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks about 1½ - 2 inch in length
You want all of the veggies cut into similar lengths - it makes the dish easier to eat and look nicer!
1 small chili pepper (anything from jalapeno to habanero), finely minced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped, plus more for serving
¼ cup fresh mint, coarsely chopped, plus more for serving
½ cup peanuts, roughly chopped, for garnish
Sesame seeds, for garnish
1 lime, quartered, for garnish
For Spicy-Citrusy Dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together the chili sauce, lime, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Taste and adjust to your preferences. Set aside.
For Salad:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions.
Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to stop the cooking. Thoroughly drain again.
Transfer the noodles to a large serving bowl and toss with half of the dressing.
As the noodles are being prepped and cooked, pat the pork dry and generously season both sides with pepper.
Heat a large pan over high heat. As the pan is heating up, add the oil. Once hot, add the pork chops, cooking until golden brown on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side and until the internal temperature is at least 145 °F.
Transfer the pork to a plate. Spoon a little of the dressing over the pork chops. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes.
In the bowl with the noodles, add the green onions, cucumber, bell pepper, chili pepper, cilantro, and mint. Pour in remaining dressing and toss until the veggies are evenly dispersed and everything is coated in dressing.
Thinly slice the pork against the grain, before cutting them in half, with the grain (you want pieces that are about 1½ - 2 inch in length, similar to the veggies).
Add the pork to the serving bowl. Drizzle any juices from the plate in the bowl.
Garnish with peanuts, mint, cilantro, and sesame seeds. Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over top.
Enjoy!