Avocado Recipe Contest Series: Spicy Avocado and Pork Somen Salad

This is a warm salad of somen noodles tossed with spicy minced pork, avocados and scallion vinaigrette. The avocados make the spiciness slightly milder and the vinaigrette with scallion and lime cuts the fat from the pork and avocados. I cooked this dish with leftover ingredients I had in my fridge and it ended up being delicious! It can be served family style in a large bowl or in separate portions. Somen noodles are typically served with a dipping soup or in a hot broth but this warm salad works great because the vinaigrette coats each strand of the noodles.

12 servings

Ingredients

Scallion 12 each

Fresh lime juice 6 tbsp

Soy sauce 6 tbsp

Canola oil 1 C

Fish sauce (nam pla) 3 tsp

Sesame Oil 2 tbsp

Avocado 6 each

Canola oil 1 tbsp

Garlic clove 6 each

Hot bean paste (Tobanjan) 9 tbsp

Pork, minced 2 ½ lbs

Salt 3 tsp

White pepper, ground 1 tsp

Somen noodles 600 grams (apprx 20 oz)

Method

1. Thinly slice the scallion.

2. In a small bowl, combine the fresh lime juice, soy sauce, canola oil, fish sauce and sesame oil. Whisk until emulsified.

3. Add the scallion to the vinaigrette.

4. Cut the avocados into medium sized cubes (1/2 inch) and add to the vinaigrette.

5. Mince the garlic cloves.

6. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan or small rondeau and lightly sauté the garlic over low-medium heat until fragrant.

7. Add the hot bean paste and stir.

8. Season the minced pork with salt and white pepper (use hands to combine) in a medium bowl.

9. Turn up the heat to medium and add the minced pork.

10. Cook until thoroughly heated through.

11. Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water and cook the somen noodles for 2 minutes (or cook 1 minute less than indicated on instructions).

12. Drain the somen noodles in a colander and rinse quickly under cold water.

13. Drain the excess water and put the noodles in a large bowl.

14. Combine the minced pork and scallion vinaigrette (with avocados) into the noodles.

15. Mix well.