A recent creation and a little bit of mix and match using recipes I have already provided on DiyaSethi.com, such as the dry pork rub and sesame tahini dressing, but this time for a pulled pork shoulder salad, once again using local Indian pork from artisan meats, which is slow cooked in the oven until it easily pulls apart …
… The cucumber, which could not be a more appropriate combination and crowning glory to the Pulled Pork Salad, Toasted Sesame oil and Tahini dressing, Pickled Cucumber, is simply some ribboned cucumber soaked for a minimum of one hour in an Asian vinaigrette … and now, on to the series of sub recipes and cooking techniques we go.
First and foremost, please refer to the Succulent, slow cooked Pork Rib, Goma Dare sauce recipe on Diyasethi.com/Treat of the Week, for the sub recipes of the dry pork rub and the Toasted Sesame oil and Tahini dressing.
Next, preheat your oven at 150°C (bottom heating convection setting), with the oven tray in the centre i.e. equidistant from top and bottom.
Pork Recipe
YIELD: 10 Covers
- 1 kg pork shoulder pieces
- 8 tablespoons dry rub (refer to rib recipe)
Take the pork shoulder pieces out of the packets and rinse the meat (STEPS 1 & 2), then let it dry and rub with 6 tablespoons of the dry rub mix (STEPS 3, 4 & 5). Then place in a baking tray, cover the pieces with water (STEPS 6 & 7), seal the tray with silver foil, and place in the oven for three hours (STEP 8).
In the meanwhile prepare the Goma Dare Sauce (i.e. the toasted sesame oil and tahini dressing), for which please refer to the Pork Rib recipe, and once made, refrigerate until use.
Then prepare the Pickled Cucumber.
Asian Vinaigrette (Pickling Liquid)
YIELD: 10 COVERS
- 135ml apple cider vinegar
- 135ml sunflower oil
- 3 tablespoons caster sugar
- 3 tablespoons soya sauce
- 3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 3 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds (refer to Tuna Tartare recipe for how to toast seeds)
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 10 medium cucumber
Simply gather, measure out and whisk all the ingredients together for the vinaigrette (STEPS 1 TO 3).
Then peel DOWN the cucumbers into ribbons and toss with the vinaigrette and leave refrigerated for at least one hour (STEPS 4 to 9).
Once the pork is ready at the end of three hours, remove it from the oven (STEP 1), let it cool (STEP 2), and then drain (STEP 3) and pull apart using your fingers (STEP 4). Refrigerate till nice and cold (STEP 5), and then mix in the Toasted sesame oil and tahini dressing (STEPS 6, 7, 8), and proceed to assemble the Pulled Pork Salad, Toasted Sesame oil and Tahini dressing, Pickled Cucumber.
Final Assembly of the Pulled Pork Salad, Toasted Sesame Oil & Tahini Dressing, Pickled Cucumber
I am using an open rectangular mould (STEP 1), but you can use any size or shape you wish to, so long as the layer of pork is ¾ inch thick and the cucumber ½ inch thick. Once you have layered the salad as shown below (STEPS 2 TO 4), sprinkle with some toasted sesame seeds and chopped peanuts (STEPS 5 & 6), then lift up the mould (STEP 7), and there you have one hell of a delicious dish (FINAL IMAGE).
Above: Final Image