Sweet and Sour Pork with Pineapple (Throwback Thursdays)

This Sweet and Sour Pork dish is not your typical Chinese restaurant version.  The restaurant version usually has the pork battered and fried then covered in a thick "orange" glaze.  I tried to make my version much healthier by omitting the deep frying step all together and just concentrating more on making a savory sweet and sour sauce to cook the pork in.  My kids went nuts when I gave them each a "taste test" and wanted me to give them more on a plate to eat before the rice was finished cooking to serve dinner.  I would say they liked it. : )

Note:  Throwback Thursday is a new series where I take some of my original posts here on  Curry and Comfort and redo them so I can take better photos.

Ingredients:
2-3lbs of boneless pork cut into strips (see note)
2 bell peppers (any color or mix)
1 (22oz) can pineapple chunks in juice
1 Tbs cornstarch
2 Tbs water
1 Tbs grated fresh ginger
1 Tbs grated fresh garlic
salt and black pepper to taste

Sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tbs Shao Hsing Wine or Sherry ( you can omit this if you do not have either)
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup of the pineapple juice from a can of pineapple chunks (set chunks aside)
1-2Tbs of brown sugar
1 Tbs of Chili Sambal or Dry red chili flakes to taste
Mix all the ingredients together and set aside until later.

Directions:

Cut pork . To get thin strips, freeze pork for 30-45 minutes to harden slightly so it cuts easily.



Also grate 2 more Tbs of grated ginger and 1 Tbs of grated garlic and set aside until later

Note:  You can substitute chicken, frozen cooked meatballs (store bought or homemade) for the pork.

In a large wok or pan, heat 2-3Tbs of canola oil on high heat.  Once the oil is heated, add the pork and fry about 2-3 minutes.  Next add the grated garlic and ginger from earlier and black pepper to the  pork and fry about 2-3 minutes.

Add the Sweet and Sour Sauce you made earlier to the pan.  Stir well.  Lower the heat to medium and allow the pork to cook for about 15 minutes.  This step is important because it allows the sauce to really flavor the pork all the way through.

Next thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry (1Tbs of cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbs of cool water).  Stir well.  Once the sauce begins to thicken, add any color of bell pepper you like.  Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes so the pepper are tender crisp. 


Finally add the chunks of pineapple into pan and mix well with stir fry.   Serves 6-8 people. Serve with Rice.  Enjoy.

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