Last Updated on December 15, 2023
Here’s a perfect dish for a hot day: A delicious cold noodle bowl topped with thin-sliced sesame-crusted pork loin. It tastes light, but it’s also hearty enough to satisfy.
And it’s deceptively easy to make: First, you toss noodles in a chili-garlic oil with sesame, ginger, scallion and fresh herbs. As the noodles marinate in the sauce, you rub pork tenderloin generously with crushed sesame seeds and sear it. Thinly slice the pork, lay it over the noodles, sprinkle with some more fresh herbs and you’re good to go. It’s a crowd-pleaser, too.
Ingredients
- 1 ButcherBox Pork Tenderloin defrosted and patted very dry
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb long egg noodles like ramen, lo mein or even spaghetti
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp chili oil plus more for serving
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 cloves garlic finely grated
- 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger finely grated
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- ½ cup white sesame seeds
- 3 tbsp canola oil
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves chopped
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems chopped
- ¼ cup thinly sliced scallion
Instructions
- Slice the pork tenderloin in half to make two short pieces. Season with salt and pepper and set on a plate in the fridge, uncovered.
- Heat a large pot of water and cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold water until chilled. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, chili oil, sesame oil, sugar, garlic, ginger and chili flakes until well combined and the sugar has dissolved. Add the noodles and toss to coat.
- Take the seasoned pork out of the fridge. In a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, pulse or pound the sesame seeds until coarsely ground. Sprinkle half of the ground sesame over the pork (reserve the rest). Rub the sesame all over the pork, coating it as thoroughly as possible.
- Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the pork and sear on one side, undisturbed, until golden brown, then turn and repeat on all other sides, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. The pork is done when it's evenly golden all over and a met thermometer stuck into the thickest part reads 145ºF. Transfer to a cutting board and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.
- Toss half of the basil and cilantro, the scallion and reserved ground sesame seeds with the noodles. Divide the noodles among 4 bowls. Thinly slice the pork and place it atop the noodles. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped herbs. Serve with more chili oil, if desired.
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