Vietnamese Pork Salad

Name: Vietnamese Pork Salad
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: vietnamese
Ingredients: 1 tsp golden caster sugar; juice of 2 limes; 1 fresh red chilli deseeded and finely chopped; a handful of coriander stems or roots, chopped; 1 tbsp each sesame oil, Thai fish sauce and light soy sauce; 50g sesame seeds dry roasted until golden; 500g pork tenderloin trimmed of fat; vegetable oil for brushing; 1/4 white cabbage shredded; 1 cucumber cut into matchsticks; 5 celery stalks, cut into matchsticks; 3 spring onions finely sliced; 1 red chilli seeded and finely chopped; 2 trimmed stems of lemongrass finely sliced; zest of 1 lime; a handful each of coriander and mint leaves, chopped

4.25 (4)

⏱ 70 mins 🍽 Serves 6 🌶 vietnamese ✅ Easy 🏷 Main course

This fresh Vietnamese salad combines griddled pork tenderloin with crisp vegetables and aromatic herbs. The dish is brought together with a tangy dressing made from lime, sesame, and fish sauce. It's a perfect make-ahead option for a relaxed lunch or dinner, offering a balance of textures and bright, savoury flavours. The recipe serves six and takes just over an hour to prepare, including chilling time for the dressing.

Ingredients

1 tsp golden caster sugar
juice of 2 limes
1 fresh red chilli deseeded and finely chopped
a handful of coriander stems or roots, chopped
1 tbsp each sesame oil, Thai fish sauce and light soy sauce
50g sesame seeds dry roasted until golden
500g pork tenderloin trimmed of fat
vegetable oil for brushing
1/4 white cabbage shredded
1 cucumber cut into matchsticks
5 celery stalks, cut into matchsticks
3 spring onions finely sliced
1 red chilli seeded and finely chopped
2 trimmed stems of lemongrass finely sliced
zest of 1 lime
a handful each of coriander and mint leaves, chopped

Method

Prepare the dressing a day in advance. Combine the sugar, lime juice, and 1 tbsp water in a saucepan, heating until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the chilli and coriander, then blend the mixture until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the sesame oil, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sesame seeds. Cover and refrigerate.
About two hours before you plan to eat, heat a griddle pan. Set your oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Lightly coat the pork with oil and sear it on all sides in the griddle pan. Move the pork to a baking tray and roast in the oven for 10-12 minutes until fully cooked. Let it cool, then slice it thinly against the grain. Place the slices in a bowl and toss with half of the prepared dressing.
For serving, combine the remaining salad ingredients in a large bowl with the rest of the dressing. Arrange this salad on a platter, lay the sliced pork on top, and drizzle over any remaining juices from the pork bowl.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories195 kcal

Fat11 g

Saturates2 g

Carbs4 g

Sugars1 g

Fibre2 g

Protein21 g

Sodium440 mg

Salt1 g

Recipe details

Skill levelEasy

CategoryMain course

Cuisinevietnamese