Brown Rice Vermicelli Salad with Turmeric Curry Pork

I am a big sucker for fancy pants noodles. 

Some noodle purists may scoff at concepts that stray away 

from the basic white variety, but I will proudly say 

that I am not one of them.

I, for one, welcome the use of yams, buckwheat, 

whole wheat, tofu, black sesame, beans, kelp and whole wheat.

The weirder the ingredient and color, the better. 

How can you not get excited by the rich variety and 

textures available??

  

(I then proceed to vehemently shake an imaginary picky 

eater who refuses to ingest food with more 

than one syllable to its name) 

I'm sure you can only imagine my excitement when I saw  

whole grain vermicelli seated proudly in the 

Asian aisle at the supermarket.  

Normally, vermicelli is used to make the much celebrated, Pho.  Since it was a bazillion (no exaggeration here) degrees outside, I chose to use the noodles in a fresh and crisp salad instead. 

Sound familiar?

Past post shout out!

This salad was inspired by 

my favorite Vietnamese dish, Bun Bo Xao. 

Whole Wheat Vermicelli Noodles

Accessories used to jazz the noodles up! 

Turmeric Curry Pork Loins

I used Curry Powder, Turmeric Powder, Sea Salt,
Onion Powder and Paprika

This papaya shredder can be found in any Asian Market.
I use this shredder to also create
pretty ridges on cucumber slices. 

Seeeee....

Ingredients for my Salad Dressin'!
I'm a southern gal, we don't say vinaigrette, we say dressin'! 

Confetti of spice and flavor

Tossed, plated and topped with avocado slices. 

Brown Rice Vermicelli Salad with Turmeric Curry Pork

Serves 4

1 package of Whole Grain Vermicelli Noodles 

For the pork

3 1/2 inch slices of boneless pork tenderloin

1 teaspoon of curry powder

1 teaspoon of onion powder

1 teaspoon of paprika

1 teaspoon of tumeric 

1 teaspoon of sea salt

For the salad

1/2 bunch of chopped cilantro

1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced

1/2 carrot, shredded

1 avocado, sliced 

For the dressing

1/4 rice vinegar

1/4 fish sauce

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 inch knob of ginger, minced

1/2 small red onion, diced

1/2 jalapeno, sliced

2 tablespoons of honey

1. Add the spices for the pork into a small bowl and mix to make a dry rub. 

2. Sprinkle spice mix onto both sides of the pork and set aside. 

3.  Mix dressing ingredients in a non reactive bowl and mix well. 

4. Take a medium sauce pan and fill half with water. Allow to boil.  Remove vermicelli noodles from wrapper and place in large bowl.  Once the water is boiled, pour over uncooked noodles and cover.  Let the noodles sit for approximately 4 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  

5. In a heated lightly coated pan, sear both sides of the pork.  Approximately, 4 minutes on each side.  Once cooked through, place pork on a plate and allow to rest for five minutes. 

6.  Slice pork into quarter inch pieces.  In a salad bowl, toss noodles with vegetables and pork with dressing.  

7.  Serve with avocado slices.   

Teriyaki Steak With Buckwheat and Yam Noodles Dressed in Scallion Sesame Sauce

I love experimenting with new ingredients.  

Whenever I come across a product that I am not familiar with, 

I pretend that I am in Iron Chef's kitchen 

stadium and that it was my secret ingredient. 

Today's secret ingredient...

  

"BUCKWHEAT and YAM SOOOOObaaa!!"

"OOOhhhh, Aaahhhh" the crowd coos. 

"Let the Battle Begin!!"

Since I'm not competing against anyone and this event was a figment of my imagination, I'm sure you can easily guess who won. 

Teriyaki Steak With Buckwheat and Sweet Potato Noodles Dressed in Scallion Sesame Sauce

For this dish, I combined three recipes into one dish! Why? Well, why not? 

Serves 4

Steak Teriyaki 

Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes

1/3 cup mirin rice wine

1/3 cup sake

1/3 cup soy sauce (if cooking gluten-free, use gluten-free soy sauce)

1 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger

1 1/2 to 2 lb flank steak or skirt steak

Olive oil or grapeseed oil

Garnish
1 carrot, shredded 

1/2 bunch cilantro, julienne

1 package of Soba with Yam noodles

Scallion Sesame Sauce

2 1/2 cups thinly sliced scallions, approx two large bunches

1/2 cup finely minced peeled fresh ginger

1/4 cup grapeseed or other neutral oil

1 1/2 tsp usukuchi (light soy sauce)

3/4 tsp sherry vinegar

3/4 tsp kosher salt, or more to taste

2 tbls dark sesame oil

1. Combine the mirin, sake, soy sauce, sugar, and grated ginger in a large, shallow bowl. 

2. Place the steak in the marinade and let marinate for at least an hour, and up to 48 hours. 

3. If marinating for more than an hour, keep chilled until an hour before you plan to cook.

4. Make the sauce.  Mix together the scallions, ginger, oil, sesame oil, soy, vinegar, and salt in a bowl. Taste and check for salt, adding more if needed. Set aside.  You can make this for up to two days in advance. 

5. When ready to cook, remove steak from marinade. Reserving the marinade. 

6. Place steak on a plate and set aside. 

7. Place marinade in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, or until the marinade has reduced to a thin glaze, becoming your teriyaki sauce.

8. If grilling the steak, prepare your grill for high, direct heat. 

9. If you're using a grill pan, heat a large cast iron grill pan on high heat. 

10. If grilling oil the grill grates. Pat dry the steak. Rub a little olive oil or grapeseed oil all over it. 

11. Place the steak on the hot grill or pan. Sear for 3-5 minutes on one side, or until the side is well browned, and turn the steak over and sear the other side. I'm not going to instruct you how to cook a well done steak because you are an adult now, and know better than to eat overcooked steak! 

12. Set a large pot of water on high heat for noodles. Unlike Italian pasta, you do not need to salt the water. 

13. Baste the steak with teriyaki sauce. When the steak is well seared on both sides, remove from the heat and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

13. Once the water is boiling, hold the noodles above the water and sprinkle them in strand by strand. 

14. Once the noodles are in, stir gently until the noodles are submersed. 

15. Cook for about 7 to 8 minutes, or when the noodles are cooked through. 

16. Once the noodles are cooked, rinse with cold water and set aside. 

17.  Slice your steak against the grain.   

18.  Toss your noodles in your sesame scallion sauce and top with your sliced steak.  Garnish with shredded carrot and cilantro.  Enjoy!! 

Bun Bo Xao - Hanoi, Vietnam

When I first arrived in Hanoi, I must admit, I was definitely overwhelmed.  Prior to Hanoi (excluding Bangkok, of course), I spent my days leisurely biking in the serene countryside of Thailand and Laos.  As my taxi driver weaved in and out through the streets, I knew immediately, my days of strolling down picturesque paths while listening to reflective indie slow jams on my ipod were long gone.  I started to have minor heart palpitations, while my palms began to sweat with anticipation.  The view from my cab window didn't help matters either.  All I saw were hoards of motorbikes, cars and bicycles, zipping across barely defined lanes and loaded with numerous passengers exceeding each vehicle's occupancy limit.

I shouldn’t have been too surprised. This city is notorious for its dense traffic. It was just a shock to my system to come from peaceful and passive Luang Prabang to the hustle and bustle of Hanoi. There was no middle ground that allowed me to adjust from one extreme to another.   However, despite the fact that my stomach was tied into knots, I was still excited.  Excited to experience the OTHER thing Hanoi is known for, the FOOD!

Once I finally got to my hotel, I checked into my room, took a second to brace myself, armed with a map, I charged downstairs and went straight to the concierge. 

“I’m absolutely famished." Yes, I used the word famished, because when I'm that starved I use words like famished.  "Can you please recommend an amazing place for dinner?”

“Of course, what kind of food are you looking for?”

All I can do at this point was to answer honestly.

“Vietnamese?”

With a laugh, she told me to go next door and order the Bun Bao Xao. 

Relieved that I wouldn’t have to attack Hanoi traffic during my first night of arrival, I started out the door then perched on a plastic candy colored stool that was in front of the restaurant.

The waitress said something incoherent in Vietnamese, to which I responded “Bun Bao Xao?”

She nodded knowingly.  Seconds later a bowl of noodles sprinkled with beautiful cool crispy herbs, such as mint and basil, with slices of fried steak arrived.  The noodle salad was perfectly  dressed with my favorite thing in the world - num mac sauce! I threw in a couple of diced chili peppers into the mix, then sloshed the contents of my bowl with plastic chopsticks. The fresh full flavors immediately rushed through my body like an icy cold waterfall and immediately calmed my nerves down.  The noise that surrounded me instantaneously muted as I tasted each note of the dish's symphony. With a sigh of relief, I knew I would be okay after finally tasting the comforting flavors of Vietnam. 

Bun Bo Xao

My version of Bun Bo Xao

Since the star of the dish are the crisp veggies, why not make each piece pleasing to the eye?  I used a papaya shredder that can be found at any Asian Market to peel my cucumber and created fancy pants slices.

If the crisp vegs are the star, the nuoc mam sauce is definitely the supporting role.  I added a few variations to my recipe, it may spook the traditionalist, but give it a go if you're not scared of a few little twists.

Ingredients

serves 4

For the salad

2 filets of sirloin

1 medium carrot

1 red bell pepper

1 medium cucumber

1/2 head of romain lettuce

1 package of rice vermicelli noodles

1 small bunch of mint leaves

1 small bunch of cilantro

1 cup of crushed peanuts

For the nuoc mam sauce

will keep in the fridge for up to a month

3 chili peppers

3 cloves of garlic

1 ½ tablespoons of minced ginger

½ cup fish sauce

1 cup of your favorite coconut water

1 tablespoon of honey

Directions

1.  To make the sauce, use a mortar and pestle and crush chili peppers, ginger and garlic until all ingredients are well combined. 

2.  Spoon chili paste into a wide mouth jar and add fish sauce, coconut water, honey.  Close jar with lid and shake vigorously, set aside.

3.  Fill large pot with water and put on high heat. 

4.  Wash the vegetables used in the salad.  Julienne red pepper into fine matchstick slices, peel cucumber with papaya shredder if available, cut into thin slices.  Using a grater, grate carrot stick. Wash romaine leaves, mint and coriander.  Cut into thin slices. 

5.  Crush peanuts into crumbs using a mortar and pestle

6.  Heat pan, add oil. Once oil is searing hot, place steaks (make sure the steak is dry in order to create a nice sear).  Cook steaks based on desired doness.  Remove from heat and place on plate with, cover with an aluminum tent.  Set aside and allow steak to rest.

7.  Once the pot is boiling add noodles.  Allow noodles to cook for 6-8 minutes.  After the noodles are cooked, strain and quickly rinse with cold water. 

8.  Add noodles to large bowl, arrange vegetables and peanuts on top along with steak.

9.  Either serve with nuoc mam on side or tossed in noodles.