8 to 10 oz cellophane noodles*
2 thick cut pork chops or about 8 oz of pork tenderloin
1 thin skinned, low seed cucumber, cut into strips
2 carrots, cut into strips
1 bunch scallion, diced
1 bunch baby bok choy or Shanghai cabbage, chopped
for the marinade:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice (I actually used key limes)
1 clove garlic, sliced
for the dressing:
1 Thai chile, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice (again, I actually used key limes)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon agave nectar
Directions:
Marinade the pork for about 30 minutes. Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the pork and cook thoroughly, flipping once, about 10 minutes. If the chops are very thick, cover the pan for a few minutes of the cooking time. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to package instructions. Add the bok choy in to the water/noodles during the last minute of soaking. Drain. I actually put it all my beloved salad spinner and spun it dry. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in small bowl and set aside. Slice the pork into thin strips. Toss with noodles, bok choy, carrots, cucumber and dressing. Serve cool.
*also known as vermicelli, bean threads, bean thread noodles, or glass noodles, they always make Mister Cellophane get stuck in my head.
Note: You might have noticed that I actually used my crinkle cutter instead of slicing the vegetables. It is just as easy as using a knife and since the salad is so simple, it added some extra visual interest. Totally unnecessary though.
Yield: 2-4 servings
My thoughts:
I always find making dinner in September a daunting task. Some days it is as hot as July and on others it is downright chilly. Salad can be a perfect choice but tomato season is waning so I can’t muster up too much enthusam for a leafy salad. Instead, I opt for salads like this, hardy but not heavy and boasts juicy meat and crisp vegetables. It is perfect for a hot day or one with a bit of a nip in the air.
This is another recipe that is truly more than the sum of its parts. It is a complete meal that goes from raw ingredients to finished product in under 15 minutes-perfect for a busy weeknight. The dressing is divine-be careful to really mince that pepper though, you don’t want an unsuspecting diner to get a big chunk of one of them, they are pretty fiery-and just coats the noodles with flavor. Using pork chops is a great short cut, they cook quickly and stay juicy even when thoroughly cooked. This salad holds up well overnight so you might want to make a bit extra to have for lunch the next day.
If you like this you might also enjoy:
cellophane noodles are also called Sai Fun And Maifun Noodles, depending on how authentic they happen to be.
That’s a common mistake Jerry. These are clear noodles made from mung or potato starch, not rice like the noodles you are describing.
As soon as I saw the type of noodles I immediately started singing Mr. Cellophane! I’m glad I’m not the only one. 😉
Looks yummy.
This looks great. Last night, we cooked a huge pork roast my husband brought home from Costco (he loves bringing back “surprises”). I’ll adapt this to use some of our leftovers.
i love cellophane noodles. but since i dont eat pork , the best thing that goes with it , is finely sliced beef… yum !
Hey Rachel, I like how cutely the vegetables have been cut. How did you do that? Looks too adorable!
Coco-I wrote about how I did it and posted a link to the tool I used in the post.
Oh thanks Rachel. I totally missed the paragraph following the photograph.Silly me!
This looks delicious. I look forward to making it 🙂
This sounds really interesting, especially the dressing. Do you have a brand of mirin you recommend?
Maggie- I don’t have a special brand, I just try whatever looks good.
Maggie- I don’t have a special brand, I just try whatever looks good.