Asian-Style Caramelized Pork

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is one of the recipes I use when one of those yard-long pork loins from the warehouse store ends up in my kitchen. I shared it, and several others, with the gals in the economy-minded group I monitor. They are exploring and sharing less expensive ways to feed their families and our goal, as a group, was to come up with 5 meals that could be made from one pork loin. We actually ended up with 7, and over the next few weeks I'll be sharing some of the them with you. While young children probably won't touch this, adults and older children really like pork cooked in this way. It is easy to make and is nearly foolproof, but the operative word here is nearly. When working with caramelized meat it is really easy to overcook it. I cut the pork used in this recipe into thin strips which cook very quickly. One minute they are succulent and tender, but the next they become chewable shoe leather. 'Nuff said. I'm not attributing this dish to a specific country because elements of it are shared by several Asian cuisines. I've also taken some Western shortcuts that will raise an eyebrow or two, but they are functional and make short work of this nice dish. I hope you will give it a try. Here's the recipe.

Asian-Style Caramelized Pork...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:

1 pound of pork – cut into thin 2 x 1/4-inch strips

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons fish sauce (nuoc mam)

2 tablespoons lime juice

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 tablespoon grated ginger

1 tablespoon chopped garlic (about 3 cloves)

1/4 cup water

1 medium jalapeno pepper – sliced thinly

Optional: Green onions for garnish

Directions:

1) Marinate pork strips in Combine fish sauce, lime juice and black pepper in a medium bowl. Add pork strips and toss to coat. Let sit for 1 hour.

2) Heat oil in a pan set over medium high heat. Add sugar, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and turns a darker brown. Remove pan from heat and stir in ginger and garlic. Stir-fry for a few seconds. Add pork and toss to coat.

3) Place pan back on heat. Stir-fry until meat has a dark golden color, about 3 to 5 minutes. Cover pan and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove cover and add water to pan. Cover pan and cook for another 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick. If not, remove pork and continue to cook sauce until it thickens. Return pork to pan and toss well to coat. Adjust seasoning. Stir in sliced jalapenos. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with green onions, if using. Serve with rice. Yield: 3 servings.