A Southern Grace: fit to be thai-ed*

April 7, 2016

fit to be thai-ed*

Yum

*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.

20 comments:

Kate @ Framed Cooks said...

You know, I don't think I've ever tried That food either! I'm going to walk down this new road with you...this looks scrumptious.

Angie's Recipes said...

I love Thai food, but many ingredients are difficult to find over here. This is not only delicious, but all the ingredients are easily available. Thanks, Grace.

Alicia Foodycat said...

Sorry love, but you've got ginger, garlic, cumin, lime juice and red pepper flakes in there, which means you are 99% of the way to most curries!

Kate said...

Oooooo, this looks incredible! Adding it to my list of things to make this week!

Barbara said...

Not me. What is my problem??? Or my tummy's problem? I always find something to eat in a Thai restaurant, though. I like mild food; Thai, for the most part, is not. Sure smells divine, though. And this looks tempting, Grace.
(I still haven't made a macaron, either.)

Pam said...

I didn't eat Thai food until I was nearly 30. I love it now and most other Asian foods too. Your pork looks tasty and that sauce looks and sounds divine!

Big Rigs 'n Lil' Cookies said...

Your likes and dislikes as you described above are a carbon copy to me! Guess that means I need to branch out and try some Thai!

~~louise~~ said...

Hi Grace:)
Well, it took you a lot sooner than me, lol...I didn't have my first real taste of Thai food until a few years ago and I'm yet to make my own version, ever!!!

Marion is not a spicy kinda gal so I shy away from Thai food at home and only have it when my son takes me to lunch:)

The ingredients in this Peanutty Thai Pork sound resonably mild. Boy, I sure would LOVE to surprise Marion with a bite or two.

I'll be saving this recipe for sure. You did GREAT Grace!

Thank you so much for sharing...

Marjie said...

You have another person here who's never had Thai food. My dearly beloved does not do well with spicy foods, so we stick to traditional European style cuisine. The ingredients in this roast do sound pretty outstanding, though!

Carolyn Jung said...

I love Thai peanut sauces on just about anything -- noodles, chicken, grilled shrimp, pork -- you name it. And this one with orange marmalade sounds especially delicious.

Gloria Baker said...

I love thai food Grace !
And this look stunning :) :)

Gloria Baker said...

I love thai food Grace !
And this look stunning :) :)

Królowa Karo said...

Looks good! I never made thai food.

Cheri Savory Spoon said...

Hi Grace, Thai food is my favorite and this pork certainly looks amazing, Have a great week-end!

lisa is cooking said...

Hooray for Thai food! The sauce sounds deliciously versatile (except maybe for use on cereal;).

Beth said...

Nothing better than a peanut-ginger sauce. This recipe sounds terrific!

Inger @ Art of Natural Living said...

Better late than never Grace! You might try Thai cereal yet ;-) I have a lot of pork in the freezer and may need to give this wonderful sounding dish a try!

Cecilia said...

That would be definitely a recipe I'd like to try. Thanks for sharing.

sage said...

Looks wonderful!

Sandy said...

Yum, Thai food is one of my favorites! The first time I ate at a Thai restaurant, I was overcome by the heat (both spicy and temperature), and the kind waitress brought over a table fan to help me recover! I've been a fan ever since :)