This is MOST excellent served with Sesame Peanut Noodles and Spicy Cilantro Salad.  That trio will make a meal complete.  Maybe a few steps, but WELL worth it! Our house is filled with tree planters right now, and I had to fight to get a few leftovers for lunch!

2 tbsp cumin seeds

4 scallions – 3 roughly chopped, 1 thinly sliced

1 jalapeno pepper, roughly chopped  (remove seeds if you prefer mild flavor…)

1 2 in piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp oil, plus more for grilling

1 tbsp light brown sugar

2 tsp soy salt (plus 1/4 cup soy sauce for dip)

1 tsp chinese 5 spice powder

 kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

2 pork tenderloins

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

If you want to do these on skewers, make sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling.

To serve family style, simply slice pork tenderloin lengthwise, then in half – ending up with 4 pieces per tenderloin.

Toast cumin seeds untily lightly browned – set aside.

Combine scallions, jalapeno, ginger, garlic, 1 tbsp oil, brown sugar, 2 tsp soy sauce, 5 spice powder, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper in food processor or blender.  Pulse until a smooth paste forms.  Add cumin seeds and pulse lightly until seeds are cracked.

Lightly season pork with salt and pepper.  Rub well with about 3/4 of the paste.

Cover with plastic wrap, or do this in a ziplock bag and seal in fridge for at least an hour.

Sauce:  Combine 1 tsp of cumin paste with 1/4 cup soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and 1 tbsp water. Set aside to drizzle after meat is cooked and to serve at table. Stir in sliced scallion and set aside.

Preheat grill to medium high heat.  Add 1 tbsp cumin paste to 2 tbsp oil and set aside to brush on while grilling.

Grill pork and brush with oil/cumin paste. 

Serve with sauce on the side, drizzling some of it lightly over the meat just before serving.