Thursday, August 18, 2011

Saucy Pork Stir-Fry

I'm always on the lookout for yummy stir-fries that I can make at home, and that taste even remotely close to the restaurant stir-fries that I crave. However, I'd also like them to be lower in fat than restaurant dishes, and not be loaded with sodium.

This is a pretty sauce dish, but the sauce is packed with flavor, so that's OK by me. The sauce has just a bit of sweetness and spice, and the tomato paste gives it an extra depth of flavor and a sort of heaviness (in a good way) that some stir-fry sauces lack.

This sauce recipe is based on a Cuisine at Home recipe, but I made several changes and substitutions and math errors, so I really have no idea what the original recipe was supposed to be like.

And did I mention the dish is saucy? If I'd had twice as many vegetables on hand, I would have added them, and there would have been plenty of sauce. So that's what I'm going to suggest for the recipe, and next time, I'll throw in a bunch of broccoli or something. There's plenty of sauce to soak up, so you might as well load the dish up with as many veggies as you can!

Saucy Pork Stir-Fry
Serves 4-5

16 oz. pork loin, cut in thin strips
6 Tbsp. lite soy sauce, divided
1 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 c. dry sherry
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Pinch or two of cayenne pepper
2 tsp. canola oil, divided
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
4 c. fresh vegetables, chopped (bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, etc.)

1. Combine pork and 2 Tbsp. soy sauce in a dish. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the sauce.

2. Stir together 4 Tbsp. soy sauce, broth, sherry, cornstarch, honey, tomato paste, 2 tsp. garlic, 1 tsp. ginger, pepper, and cayenne for the sauce. Set aside.

3. Preheat a wok over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp. oil.

4. Stir-fry pork until it's cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.

5. Remove pork from wok and set aside.

6. Add remaining 1 tsp. oil to wok. Add 2 Tbsp. garlic and 1 Tbsp. ginger and stir-fry about 30 seconds. Add veggies.

7. Return pork to wok and add sauce. Cook until sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes.


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