Sweet and Sour, Salty and Spicy Pork

I remember when I was young and living at home with my parents we would, occasionally, order a smorgasbord of Chinese take-out and set those little white boxes up on the counter so we could build our own perfect plate of food according to our liking.  My favorite combination was a little taste of sweet and sour whatever, chicken or pork (most times I don't think you can independently recognize the protein encapsulated in the batter) as well as a serving of something Szechuan. The way the sticky sweet red sauce tasted to so good after a fiery taste of a spicy stir fry was delectable.  Instead of making two separate meals in order to satisfy my craving for something sweet, sour, salty and spicy, I just made a couple of additions to the "standard" sweet and sour sauce and had it all in one dish.   

I took a small piece of pork (I had a pork rib eye roast in the freezer but pork butt or tenderloin would work too) and cut it into 1 inch x 1 inch cubes.  In a bowl I added the pork cubes, a minced clove of garlic, a teaspoon of fresh ginger, about 2 tablespoon of soy sauce and an equal amount of cornstarch.  After mixing it all together, I let it marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours. 

Meanwhile, there was plenty of time to make the sauce and prep the vegetables.  I diced green pepper and onion and set it aside.  While fresh pineapple would certainly be ideal, I already had a can of pineapple in juice in the pantry so that's what I used.  Drain the juice from the pineapple but be sure to reserve it for use in the sauce and set the pineapple with the onion and green pepper for later use.

To make this sauce for my sweet and sour, salty and spicy pork, I started with the usual ingredients.  In a mixing bowl combine about 1/2 cup ketchup, the reserved juice from the pineapple, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar.  Give a taste and make sure it has a nice balance of tanginess and sweetness and adjust as necessary (I like things a little less sweet, so you may want to add more sugar).  For a bit of saltiness, I added a few tablespoons of soy sauce and spoonful or two of Asian chili paste for a good kick. This sauce is very adaptable and is easily adjusted to meet your tastes so feel free to make it more or less spicy or leave out the heat altogether and it will be an outstanding sweet and sour as is.

In a large skillet, heat about an inch of canola oil.  Remove the pork cubes from the refrigerator and dredge each one through some flour, knocking off the excess.  When oil is hot, add the pork cubes and fry each until golden brown and crisp.  Remove from skillet to a paper towel lined plate and season with a little salt.  

In another large skillet, heat a tablespoon of oil and add the green peppers and onions.  Cook for a few minutes to soften and then add the fried pork cubes to the pan.  Stir to combine.  Add the pineapple and the sauce and stir well.  Let the sauce, the pork and vegetables simmer together for a few minutes.  If the sauce is too runny add about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a couple of tablespoons of water.  When the sauce begins to bubble, it will thicken perfectly.  Serve over fluffy white rice.