fit to be thai-ed*

*It's an understatement to say that the potential wordplay for "Thai" is vast.

It took nearly 33 years, but I'm finally coming around to Thai food. I don't know why I resisted that cuisine for so long. I like (reasonably) spicy foods, I love color, and I'm definitely excited when any form of sweetness creeps into an entree. Thai food is all of those things and so much more!

My first attempt at homemade Thai food was this pork loin. I was excited to find this recipe because it doesn't contain any type of curry, a family of spices which I have not yet come to enjoy in any capacity. I love peanut butter, though, in both sweet and savory applications. Ginger is SO aromatic and unique, and it's wonderful in this dish.

This sauce is fantastic and I fully intend to use it again and again, on chicken, toast, cereal, veggies, and everything else that might make even a little sense. There are so many things going on--sweet, nutty, sour, tart--but nothing is too aggressive and no single flavor dominates the dish. I definitely intend to explore Thai cuisine much more actively!

Peanutty Thai Pork
Based on this recipe
(printable recipe)
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:

• 1 (1-2 pound) pork tenderloin
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Directions:
Combine marmalade, garlic powder, ginger, cumin, soy sauce, vinegar, peanut butter, lime juice, orange juice, crushed red pepper, and black pepper in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.
Season the pork tenderloin with salt and pepper and place it in gallon-sized resealable plastic bag. Add the marinade. Squeeze the air out of the bag and seal.
Refrigerate and let marinade for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Heat the vegetable oil in large oven-proof skillet (like cast iron) over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Add the pork tenderloin, and sear on all sides, until nicely brown, 8-10 minutes total. Place the entire skillet into the preheated oven, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 130 degrees. Let stand 5-10 minutes before slicing.
While the pork is cooking, pour the marinade into a small saucepan with cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cold water.
Bring to a boil and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5-10 minutes.
Slice the tenderloin and pour the sauce over top. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro for garnish if desired.