PCAT - Sweet and Sour Pork

"So what are you doing with the chicken, hun?" my hubby asked me when he arrived home the other day to find me still preparing dinner. Usually, dinner is ready by the time he gets home from work but I got so engrossed with Facebook that I started dinner late.

"Bebe, it's not chicken... it's pork." I answered.

"Oh... so what are you doing with pork?"

"... Sweet and Sour Pork" I said nonchalantly. I have cooked this dish a couple of times before and I already know that he likes it so I wasn't surprised when he said with a smile on his face, "I love Sweet and Sour Pork."

Here's what you will need:

• 1 lb (~ 0.5 kg) pork loin, cut into small pieces
• 1 can 8 oz (227 g) pineapple tidbits or chunks
• 1 medium carrot, cut diagonally
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, cut into squares
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup banana catsup (banana sauce in the US, found in the Asian Market)
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• salt
• ground black pepper
• garlic powder
• cayenne pepper
• cooking oil
• cooking spray (PAM or any other brand)

This is how it's prepared:

1. Sprinkle salt and ground black pepper on pork pieces and toss like a salad. Let it stand for at least 30 minutes.
2. Prepare breading by mixing flour, ground pepper, cayenne pepper and garlic powder. Bread the pork pieces* and deep fry until golden brown. Set aside on paper towels to reduce the oil.
3. Spray a separate skillet with PAM. Saute onion, bell pepper and carrots.
4. Add in the pineapple tidbits including the syrup (juice) and sugar. Stir and let simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add in catsup and stir until the sauce thickens slightly.
6. Put in the fried breaded pork and stir, making sure the sauce covers the pork pieces.
7. Serve with steamed rice.

* Note on breading:
   Some would dip the pork pieces in eggs before rolling on the breading mix. I don't use eggs and just rely on the natural moisture of the meat so that it won't be too puffy when cooked.
   A useful technique is to prepare the breading mixture in a container that has a cover. This way, you can just put in the pork pieces in the container, cover and shake it.