Sweet and Sour Pork

Sweet and sour pork isn't an unusual dish but the reason I've posted it is that I've been using this particular recipe since I was first married and it's good.

It's an easy recipe to make, with simple ingredients you probably have on hand and it works every time. Nothing particularly fancy but good eating. When I fix it I drag out my Asian dishes, chopsticks and bamboo placemats and we have a great time.

1 16-ounce can of pineapple chunks
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds pork, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
canola oil for frying
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced on bias
2 minced garlic cloves
1 large red sweet bell pepper
4 cups hot cooked rice
sesame seeds, green onion knot for garnish

For sauce, drain pineapple, reserving the juice. Add water to reserved juice to equal 3 cups. Stir in sugar, vinegar, 4 tablespoons cornstarch, soy sauce and bouillon granules. Set sauce aside. For batter, combine egg, 1/2 cup cornstarch, flour, water and pepper. Dip pork cubes into the batter and fry them in batches until golden brown at about 365 degrees. Drain on paper towels.

Preheat a wok or skillet over high heat and add 1 tablespoon canola oil, more as necessary during the cooking. Add carrots and garlic and fry one minute. Add peppers and fry one-two minutes longer until crisp-tender. Push from center of wok and stir in sauce. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly then one minute more. Stir in pork and pineapple and stir everything until heated through and all the ingredients are coated with sauce. Serve over rice, serves four to six.

Technorati tags: sweet and sour, pork, Chinese, rice