CHINESE TAKE-OUT SWEET-AND-SOUR PORK

Chinese Take-Out Sweet-And-Sour Pork image

Though immensely popular, sweet-and-sour pork is not an authentic Chinese dish and was probably invented here in the United States to suit American tastes. It is most often served with a mix of carrot, green and red bell pepper, pineapple, and onion, and glazed with a sweet-and-sour sauce that includes a heavy dose of good old ketchup. We've tried to make it successfully without the ketchup in order to stay truer to it's Asian roots, but it just isn't the same as that old standby we used to eat as kids back in the heyday of the mom-and-pop Chinese restaurant. Food for Thought: According to press reports, China released a new set of stamps to celebrate the Year of the Pig, which began on February 18, 2007. They are scratch and sniff, lick and taste stamps that smell like sweet-and-sour pork when you scratch the front, and taste like the dish when you lick the back. From the Take-Out Menu Cookbook.

Provided by TxGriffLover

Time 1h

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 24

Ingredients

1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into bite-sized cubes
1 tablespoon rice wine or 1 tablespoon dry sherry
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon szechwan pepper or 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 -3 cups peanut oil or 2 -3 cups vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce
1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 egg white
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pinch salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares (1 cup)
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares (1 cup)
1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices (1 cup)
5 slices pineapple, cut into 1-inch squares
white rice, # 318419 for serving
2 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Steps:

In a medium bowl, toss the pork with the wine, soy sauce, and pepper. Marinate for at least 15 minutes.
Fill a wok or large frying pan with 3 inches of oil and heat to 360º.
In a bowl, combine the ketchup, sugar, cider vinegar, stock, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili sauce. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, egg white, vegetable oil, salt and 1/4 cup water to form a batter. Dip the pork in the batter, then carefully add about 10 pieces of pork to the wok and fry for 3 minutes. Remove the cooked pork with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Continue to dip and cook the remaining pork in the same manner. (If you would like the pork to be extra-crispy, fry it again in small batches for 1 minute. Be careful not to let the oil's temperature drop below 350º or the pork will absorb oil).
Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of the oil in the wok or heat another pan with 3 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn it, then add the bell peppers, onion, and pineapple. Stir-fry the vegetables until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
Stir the reserved sauce and add it to the vegetables along with the fried pork. Toss until the sauce lightly coats the vegetables and meat.
Serve hot with rice and garnished green onions.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 1421.5, Fat 120.8, SaturatedFat 21.3, Cholesterol 75.7, Sodium 1244.1, Carbohydrate 60.1, Fiber 3.6, Sugar 39.5, Protein 29.4