Got two thumbs up from the family today! Bought some pork tenderloin at the market but didn’t know what to do with it, searched around online and stumbled upon “Sweet and Sour Pork”, but most recipes call for ketchup which I do not have, so I decided to make do with Korean hot sauce paste, the result was fabulous!

1 pound pork loin, cut to 1-inch-long, 1/2-inch-thick pieces
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, or 1 tablespoon light soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons rice wine
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1/2 of a large red onion, chopped to large pieces
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped to large pieces
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon Korean hot sauce paste
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Peanut oil for frying
1 cup flour for dredging
2 tablespoon peanuts or cashew

Chop the pork loin to 1-inch-wide, 1/2-inch-thick pices. Mix together the soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Add pork to the marinade and let sit for 30 minutes.

In a sauce pot, heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil. Stir-fry onions and peppers for a few minutes until slightly softened and edges of onion begin to brown. Add orange juice, Korean hot sauce paste, vinegar, and sugar; simmer liquid on low heat for about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and keep the mixture warm.

Heat a wok about 1/3 of the way with peanut oil until the temperature registers 375 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Shake excess marinde off pork pieces, then dredge them one at a time in flour until well-coated. Shake off excess. Working in batches, fry pork until cooked through and golden brown on all sides, about 3 minutes. Transfer pork with a slotted spoon to paper towels.

Reheat sauce in the sauce pot. Add pork and carefully stir to coat. Transfer to communal plate and serve with rice.

Adapted from Apetite for China