sweet and sour pork

front and centre - a tasty addition to an already asian meal

So a few of my undergrad friends came to visit this weekend and they requested a few dishes from this blog.  In the picture you can see also ginger soy beef , soy glazed jie lan (asian broccoli), dragon noodles, and wild rice.  I thought I'd try something I've never made before - sweet and sour pork.  In restaurants the pork is usually battered, deep fried and very crispy - obviously delicious - but I don't own a deep fryer!  It is also healthier to cook the pork in a non-stick pan anyway:)

what you need:
*serves 6

• 6 centre loin pork chops
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 large red onion
• 1/3 cup corn starch
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• canola oil

sweet and sour sauce:

• 3 cloves garlic, roughly smashed
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce 
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• pinch of salt & black pepper
• 1 tbsp corn starch

what to do:

1. Prep pork by cutting into bite size cubes (about 1") and place in a large bowl.  Toss until evenly coated with soy (add another tbsp if it doesn't look like enough), and then toss to coat with 1/3 cup corn starch.  Set aside in fridge or on counter top if you are going to cook it soon (meat cooks better if it's warmed up to room temp - cooking it straight from the cold fridge can make it tough).
2. Cut bell peppers and red onion in about the same size cubes as your pork.  Set aside in a bowl.
3. Mix all sweet and sour ingredients except for corn starch.  Taste, and adjust if required.  (You may find that you want it more sour....so add vinegar.  Or if you want more tang, add a little bit more ketchup and Worcestershire).
4. Heat a large non-stick pan on medium with 2 tbsp canola oil.  Brown the pork in batches, because if you overcrowd the pan they won't get browned and will just steam/cook.  Once browned and cooked (about 2 minutes per side), remove and place on a rack or paper towel to drain excess oil.  
5. Add 1 tbsp canola oil to the same pan and on medium heat, sautee onions and peppers, about 2 minutes.  Once slightly softened, add the sweet and sour sauce mixture.  Turn heat to medium - low and allow it to simmer, then add the browned pork cubes.  
6. In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp corn starch with about 3 tbsp water.  Add it to the simmering mixture while you stir, to avoid lumps.  Stir for about 2 more minutes, until sauce thickens.  Remove from heat and serve alongside rice.  Enjoy!

dinner time

happy friends eating