Noodle and pork salad

Without tomatoes and avocado, this could be a warm dish, but I always think of this dish as a salad. It tastes great cold, but I prefer it just a bit warm. The amount of chilli can vary. But the main thing for making it especially good is to use organic tofu, pork, and tamari soy sauce. The devil is in the details. 

Ingredients

200 g buckwheat or wheat noodles
200 g green beans
3 tbsp sesame seed oil
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, cubed
120 g cherry tomatoes, halved
30 g marinated ginger
handful of mint leaves
freshly-ground pepper to taste

meat:
6 tbsp sesame seed oil
400 g pork chops or loin, cubed *
60 ml tamari soy sauce
4 tbsp fish sauce
4 fresh, soft dates, pitted, chopped
1 red chilli, sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed
200 g organic firm tofu, cubed

Prepare

Boil water in a pot and add noodles. After a while, add the green beans and boil until everything is done.

Heat oil in a pan and sear the meat on both sides on high heat until golden. Add soy sauce, fish sauce, dates, chilli, and garlic and sauté on high heat for about 2 minutes. Add the tofu and cook until the meat is done.

Drain the noodles and beans, drizzle with oil, and transfer to a serving plate. Arrange the tomatoes, avocado, and ginger on the side and top with meat and the sauce. If you wish, you can toss everything together, especially if serving a large group of people. Sprinkle with mint and pepper and serve.

* Choose cuts that can be quickly cooked, not stewed.

Recipe and pictures: Signe Meirane
Camera: Sony Alpha 7s
From my book CRAZY ABOUT