Friday, June 22, 2007

A very special meal
--Stir-Fried Pork with Sweet Onions



Stir-Fried Pork with Sweet Onions
How To Cook Everything Copyright 1998

1 pound pork tenderloin, fresh ham, loin, or shoulder, trimmed of excess fat I used tenderloin
3 cups peeled and sliced onions
2 tablespoons peanut or other vegetable oil
1 ½ tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce I used low-sodium
Juice of ½ lime
I used more soy sauce and lime
½ cup minced scallion or ¼ cup minced chives for garnish

1. Slice the pork as thinly as you can (it’s easier if you freeze it for 15 to 30 minutes first). Cut the slices into bite-sized pieces, about the size of a quarter.
2. When you’re ready to cook, have all ingredients ready, including a serving dish and rice, if using. Preheat a wok or a large, heavy skillet over high heat until it begins to smoke. Immediately add half the oil and the pork. Cook, stirring occasionally (not constantly), until pork browns and loses all traces of pinkness, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon to remove the pork to a bowl.
3. Add the remaining oil to the wok. Swirl it around and add the garlic and onions. Cook the onions and garlic, stirring over medium-high heat until they soften and begin to brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle them with 1 teaspoon of sugar.
4. Add the pork and stir for 1 minute. Add the soy sauce and lime juice*, stir, turn off the heat, garnish and serve immediately.
* he says you can add ¼-1/2 cup of water or stock if you want more liquid
__________________________

Lime juice in stir-fry is just pure genius! My free-styled stir-fries usually seem a bit flat but I can see now that a bit of lime juice would perk them up. This was so simple yet so good. I would have prefered it 'juicier' since I served it with rice but I didn't want to dilute the flavor with water or stock as was suggested. I added more soy sauce and a bit more lime juice and that's it.

This was a variation of Stir-Fried Pork with Spinach. Other variations are suggested too.

Don't forget that I'm giving this cookbook away this month to one lucky winner.

What was so special about this? I didn't have to wash every dish by hand afterwards! My new dishwasher has been installed. I can't tell you how happy that makes me.

Blast From The Past: Spicy Orange Beef from July 2006. That's another favorite stir-fry of mine.

Question of the Day: I can't think of one so you can have the day off.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's okay. You deserve a day off. Glad you got your dishwasher. Enjoy!

Jan

Sara said...

This sounds delicious! You are right, lime juice is really great in stir fries. I made one with pork and peppers that had lime juice and cumin I think, and it was wonderful. I'll have to see if I have the recipe. Have a great weekend!

Kim said...

I had an old standby grilled lemon chicken recipe I used to use often. Once, I had a bunch of limes, and I substituted lime juice for the lemon, and added some garlic. It's divine!

Now Lime Garlic grilled chicken is one of my most requested dishes.