Sweet and Sour Pork
By EdieK
"Red food coloring is added to Americanized sweet and sour pork, and the sauce is cloyingly sweet and thickened with too much cornstarch," says Grace Young, author of The Breath of a Wok. Her lighter sauce enhances the flavors of the pork and vegetables, but never overpowers them.
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork butt or shoulder, with fat trimmed off
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 tsp rice wine or dry sherry
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp each coarse salt and ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp plus 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 20 oz pineapple chunks in juice
- 1/3 cup each ketchup and white vinegar
- 1 cup plus 1 Tbsp peanut oil or other vegetable oil
- 4 slices fresh ginger
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
Preparation
Step 1
1. Cut the pork into 1-inch cubes. In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine or dry sherry, sesame oil, salt, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Mix, add the pork, and marinate 10 minutes. 2. In another bowl, combine the flour and 1/2 cup cornstarch. Drain the pork, reserving the marinade. Lightly dredge the pork pieces in the flour-cornstarch mixture and set them aside on a plate. 3. Drain the pineapple chunks, reserving 1/2 cup of the juice. In a bowl, stir together the juice, ketchup, vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and the reserved marinade. 4. Heat 1 cup of oil in a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok until it's hot but not smoking. Add half the pork, spreading the pieces around in the oil. Cook 1 to 2 minutes until they begin to brown, and then turn them. After 3 to 4 minutes, when they're brown on all sides, transfer them to a plate lined with a paper towel. Repeat with rest of the pork. 5. Wash and dry the wok, and return it to high heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the ginger, and stir-fry 10 seconds. Add the green pepper and stir-fry 1 minute. Add the reserved pineapple chunks and swirl the sweet and sour sauce into the wok. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until it's just thickened, about 1 minute. Add the pork and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes.