msmofet
🌹 🍉 Still trying to get it right.
Ms. Mofet's Sweet and Sour Pork
Pork:
2 lbs. boneless pork
2 TBSP. Rice wine or Sherry
Vegetables:
1 large clove of garlic; chopped fine
1 green bell pepper, washed, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch squares
1 red bell pepper, washed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch squares
1 large yellow onion, skinned, root end removed, cut into 1/2-inch squares
2 medium carrots, peeled and trimmed, slice thinly on the bias
3 stalk scallion (cut into 2-inch lengths)
1 (20 oz. can) pineapple chunks in juice (no added sweeteners); reserve juice
Oil for frying
Sweet and Sour Sauce:
1/2 C. reserved pineapple juice
1 C. water
1/4 C. granulated sugar
1/4 C. white vinegar
3 TBSP. lemon juice
3 rounded TBSP. cornstarch mixed in enough cold water to make a slurry
1 TBSP. Plum sauce
1 TBSP. Apricot preserves
1 TBSP. Orange marmalade
6 drops each - Red & yellow food coloring
Batter:
4 TBSP. flour (or enough to make a thick batter)
4 TBSP. cornstarch
1/2 C. water
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Ground peppercorns, ground ginger, and garlic powder - to taste
Peanut oil for frying
Sweet and Sour Sauce:
Place pineapple juice, water, sugar, plum sauce, apricot preserves, and orange marmalade in a saucepan.
Heat over medium flame.
When the sugar has dissolved, slowly add the vinegar and the lemon juice while stirring.
Add cornstarch slurry and stir while heating. Bring to a boil.
Stir constantly until thickened.
Add food coloring (a couple drops at first and then adjust until you have the orange color you like) and stir well to mix.
Continue to heat and stir until almost a syrup.
Remove from heat and set the pot aside.
Prepare and cook pork:
Cut the pork into bite-size cubes and marinate with 2 TBSP. of wine/sherry for 10 minutes.
Mix the batter in a bowl and add the pork cubes.
Stir to coat well.
Heat oil in a wok or cast iron pan and fry the pork cubes. (Shake off the extra batter before frying).
NOTE: You may use a deep fryer - Fry cubes according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Drain the pork on a tray lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil.
Cook vegetables and put them together:
Add several turns of oil to a large frying pan or wok.
Bring to frying temperature over medium heat.
Add garlic to the pan and fry till fragrant.
Add vegetables (but NOT the pineapple) and cook, stirring frequently, until onions begin to caramelize.
Add vegetables to pot with sweet and sour sauce and continue cooking and stirring until vegetables are bite tender and sauce has re-thickened and clings to the vegetables.
Add pineapple and pork to the pot and fold into the vegetables and sauce.
Simmer until heated through.
Serve with rice.
Pork:
2 lbs. boneless pork
2 TBSP. Rice wine or Sherry
Vegetables:
1 large clove of garlic; chopped fine
1 green bell pepper, washed, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch squares
1 red bell pepper, washed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch squares
1 large yellow onion, skinned, root end removed, cut into 1/2-inch squares
2 medium carrots, peeled and trimmed, slice thinly on the bias
3 stalk scallion (cut into 2-inch lengths)
1 (20 oz. can) pineapple chunks in juice (no added sweeteners); reserve juice
Oil for frying
Sweet and Sour Sauce:
1/2 C. reserved pineapple juice
1 C. water
1/4 C. granulated sugar
1/4 C. white vinegar
3 TBSP. lemon juice
3 rounded TBSP. cornstarch mixed in enough cold water to make a slurry
1 TBSP. Plum sauce
1 TBSP. Apricot preserves
1 TBSP. Orange marmalade
6 drops each - Red & yellow food coloring
Batter:
4 TBSP. flour (or enough to make a thick batter)
4 TBSP. cornstarch
1/2 C. water
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Ground peppercorns, ground ginger, and garlic powder - to taste
Peanut oil for frying
Sweet and Sour Sauce:
Place pineapple juice, water, sugar, plum sauce, apricot preserves, and orange marmalade in a saucepan.
Heat over medium flame.
When the sugar has dissolved, slowly add the vinegar and the lemon juice while stirring.
Add cornstarch slurry and stir while heating. Bring to a boil.
Stir constantly until thickened.
Add food coloring (a couple drops at first and then adjust until you have the orange color you like) and stir well to mix.
Continue to heat and stir until almost a syrup.
Remove from heat and set the pot aside.
Prepare and cook pork:
Cut the pork into bite-size cubes and marinate with 2 TBSP. of wine/sherry for 10 minutes.
Mix the batter in a bowl and add the pork cubes.
Stir to coat well.
Heat oil in a wok or cast iron pan and fry the pork cubes. (Shake off the extra batter before frying).
NOTE: You may use a deep fryer - Fry cubes according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Drain the pork on a tray lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil.
Cook vegetables and put them together:
Add several turns of oil to a large frying pan or wok.
Bring to frying temperature over medium heat.
Add garlic to the pan and fry till fragrant.
Add vegetables (but NOT the pineapple) and cook, stirring frequently, until onions begin to caramelize.
Add vegetables to pot with sweet and sour sauce and continue cooking and stirring until vegetables are bite tender and sauce has re-thickened and clings to the vegetables.
Add pineapple and pork to the pot and fold into the vegetables and sauce.
Simmer until heated through.
Serve with rice.
