Spicy Thai Pork Tenderloin Crunchy Herb Salad
This vibrant Thai pork tenderloin platter is exactly what your summer dinner rotation needs. It brings together juicy, lemongrass-marinated pork and a crisp, herb-loaded salad that looks beautiful spread across a big serving board.We adapted this recipe from classic Thai beef and pork salads to create a stunning, crowd-friendly platter. By searing the pork in a heavy skillet and finishing it in the oven, you get an incredible deeply caramelized crust while keeping the inside perfectly tender. It is light, intensely flavourful, and packed with contrasting textures from roasted peanuts and traditional toasted rice powder.
Ingredients
Pork
- 1 ¼ to 1 ½ lb pork tenderloin 600 to 700 g
- 1 ½ tablespoon fish sauce 22 ml
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil 15 ml
- 2 teaspoon brown sugar or palm sugar 10 g
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon finely minced lemongrass (fresh stalks or store bought lemongrass paste)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil (for the skillet) 15 ml
Toasted Rice Powder
- ¼ cup jasmine rice 50 g
- 2-3” piece of lemongrass, optional smashed
Lime Dressing
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice 60 ml
- 2 ½ tablespoon fish sauce 37 ml
- 1 ½ tablespoon brown sugar or palm sugar 20 g
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tablespoon finely minced lemongrass
- 1 Thai chili finely minced
- 1 tablespoon water 15 ml
Crunchy Salad
- 2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
- 1 small English cucumber thinly sliced into half moons
- 1 large carrot julienned
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- ½ cup mint leaves kept whole
- ½ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
- ¼ cup Thai basil leaves kept whole
For Garnish
- Spinach or lettuce optional
- ⅓ cup roasted peanuts roughly chopped
- 1 Thai chili thinly sliced
- Lime wedges
Instructions
Marinate the Pork
- Trim the thin tip off the pork tenderloin so it does not overcook later, keeping both pieces. In a bowl, combine the fish sauce, avocado oil, brown sugar, garlic, lemongrass, and black pepper. Add the pork pieces and turn to coat evenly. Let marinate at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.
Prepare the Toasted Rice Powder
- Heat a 12.5-inch stainless steel oven proof skillet over medium heat. Add the jasmine rice, lemon grass and toast, stirring frequently, until evenly golden brown and fragrant, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and allow to cool completely. Grind to a coarse powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, then set aside.
Make the Salad Dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, garlic, lemongrass, chili, and water until the sugar dissolves completely. Taste and adjust if necessary: the dressing should be bright, tangy, salty, and lightly sweet. If you find the dressing too pungent, add a teaspoon of brown sugar and an extra squeeze of lime.
Cook the Pork
- Wipe out the skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Remove excess marinade from the pork pieces. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of avocado oil to the pan and sear both pieces of pork on all sides until deeply caramelized, about 6 to 8 minutes total.
- Transfer the skillet directly into a preheated 425°F (218°C) oven. Roast until the thickest part of the main tenderloin reaches 140°F (60°C), approximately 8 to 12 minutes depending on thickness. Pull the smaller tip section out of the oven early once it hits temperature so it stays juicy.
- Transfer the pork to a cutting board and rest for 8 to 10 minutes, allowing the internal temperature to rise to 145°F (63°C). Slice thinly across the grain.
Capture the Pan Caramelization: Don't let the beautiful caramelized bits left in the skillet go to waste. Right after removing the pan from the oven, roll the pork tenderloin directly in those concentrated pan juices before moving it to the cutting board to rest. This coats the meat in an extra layer of savoury flavour.
Prepare the Salad
- In a large bowl, combine the red cabbage, cucumber, carrot, bell pepper, and green onions. Add about half of the prepared dressing and toss lightly to coat.
Build the Platter
- If you are using the optional spinach or lettuce, arrange it across a large serving platter first to create a fresh base. Layer the dressed vegetables evenly over top. Fan the sliced pork tenderloin over the centre. Scatter the whole mint, cilantro, and Thai basil leaves throughout the platter. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the pork and herbs. Sprinkle generously with the toasted rice powder and top with chopped peanuts and sliced chili. Serve immediately with lime wedges alongside.
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Notes
Tips, Substitutions & Serving Suggestions
- What is Toasted Rice Powder (Khao Khua)? This is an essential element in Northeastern Thai culinary traditions (Isan cooking). Raw sticky or jasmine rice is slowly dry-toasted in a pan until nutty and golden brown, then ground into a coarse powder. It acts as both a thickener and a textural highlight, adding a distinct nutty aroma and crunch to salads like Larb and Nam Tok.
- Preserve the Texture: Dress the crunchy salad vegetables lightly right before building the platter so they retain their crisp texture and vibrant color.
- Keep Herbs Whole: For the best presentation and authentic bursts of flavor, keep the mint and Thai basil leaves whole rather than chopping them.
- Ingredient Substitutions: If you cannot find Thai basil, sweet Italian basil can stand in, though it lacks the distinct anise note. Palm sugar can be replaced equal parts with dark brown sugar.
- Outdoor Grilling Option: If you prefer to fire up the grill, cook the marinated pork over direct medium-high heat for 12 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until it reaches an internal temperature of 140°F (60°C).
- Serving Suggestion: Serve this platter alongside steamed jasmine rice or traditional sticky rice to soak up the extra lime dressing.
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