Sweet And Sour Pork (Tiem Shuen Gee Yok)

Directions

PREPARATION: Cut pork into ¾ inch cubes. Mix the sherry and 1 tablespoon soy sauce together, and add to the pork. With your fingers rub the mixture into meat. Still using your fingers, roll the cubes in about ½ cup cornstarch until thoroughly dredged but not too thickly covered. (The fineness of the end result of this recipe depends on the meat's being crisp - never soggy.)

Cut the carrot on the diagonal into ¼ inch slices. Cut the green pepper in half; remove seeds and cut into 1 inch squares. Cut the pineapple slices into ½ inch wedges. Wash the Chinese mushrooms and soak in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain, remove stems. Cut into ½ inch strips. Smash, peel, and mince garlic. Combine garlic, carrots, green pepper, pineapple, and mushrooms. Combine vinegar, ½ cup water, black pepper, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, salt, sugar, and chili pepper.

In a cup, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water.

COOKING: Heat oil in deep fry pan to 375℉ (190℃). Cook pork cubes a few at a time until very light brown, about 5 minutes. Stir with a chopstick occasionally so that the cubes do not touch each other. Drain on paper towels, and keep hot in low oven (200-degrees). Repeat this process, cooking pork in hot oil until cubes float and are golden brown - 2 to 3 minutes. (This double cooking insures that the meat will be crisp.)

Heat the water-vinegar mixture in small saucepan. In a medium-sized skillet or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil at high heat. Add vegetable-pineapple mixture and stir fry for 4 minutes. Add the hot water- vinegar mixture to the vegetables and stir well. Add the cornstarch mixture, and cook and stir until thickened, about 1 minute. Pour sauce over pork cubes and mix.