Twice Cooked Pork

    Here is a very easy and delicious introduction to Szechwan cooking. Pork is simmered first in one piece, a day or two in advance, then it is sliced and stir-fried with green peppers and hot seasonings. You end up with a bonus of pork broth for soup, too.

INGREDIENTS:  

·         1 pound boneless lean pork, in 1 piece.

·         2 tbsp dry sherry.

·         1 quarter-size slice fresh ginger, crushed with the side of a cleaver.

·         3 whole green onions.

·         2 tsp hot bean sauce or 2 small, dry, hot Chile peppers, crumbled and seeded(if desired)

·         4 tsp sweet bean sauce or hoisin sauce.

·         1 tbsp soy sauce.

·         1 tsp sugar.

·         2 small green peppers or 1 green and 1 red bell pepper.

·         3 tbsp salad oil.

·         ½ tsp salt.

·         2 cloves garlic, minced.

·         1 tsp fresh ginger minced.

·         Spring onions to garnish.

PREPERATION:

·         In a 2-quart pan, place pork, sherry, and the slice of ginger.

·         Cut 1 of the green onions in half and add to pork.

·         Add enough water to barely cover; bring meat to simmering.

·         Cover and simmer until meat is tender when pierced with a fork (about 45 minutes).

·         Remove meat from broth and chill.

·         When a meat is cold, cut in 1 ½ by 1 ½-inch pieces 1/8 inch thick.

·         The fatty parts of the meat are considered a delicacy, but remove them if you wish.

·         In a bowl, combine the hot bean sauce or chilly peppers, sweet bean sauce, soy, and sugar.

·         Seed green peppers and cut in 1-inch squares.

·         Cut the remaining 2 green onions in 1-inch lengths.

·         Heat a wok or wide frying pan over high heat.

·         When a pan is hot, add 2 tbsp of the oil.

·         When oil is hot, add peppers and stir-fry for 1 ½ minutes, adding a few drops water if pan appears       dry.

·         Sprinkle with salt, stir once, and then remove peppers from pan.

·         Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to pan.

·         When oil begins to heat, add garlic and minced ginger.

·         Stir once, then add pork and stir-fry for 1 minute.

·         Add bean sauce mixture and toss until pork coated with sauce.

·         Return peppers to pan along with onion.

·         Stir and cook for 30 seconds to heat through.

·         Garnish with spring onions. Makes 3 to 4 servings.