This might be the first Chinese food recipe I’ve shared. I like Asian food. I love Thai and Japanese. But I have a hard time with Chinese. The Chinese restaurants and take-out I’ve tried have yet to impress me. (Except for one place we found just before we left Richmond. I’d have gone back there if I’d had the chance.) American-Chinese food just seems so heavy, so greasy. Too much sugar and salt. I know great Chinese food exists and I hope to someday experience it. My mom on the other hand adores Chinese food and could probably eat it for every meal. Which is how I feel about Mexican (which, of course, she dislikes). Choosing a restaurant gets tricky when left to the two of us.

This recipe convinced me to give Chinese another chance- at home. It would surely be fresher/lighter/healthier than take-out. And it included a few of my favorite things- pork tenderloin and pineapple. Well, I loved it! Chunks of tender pork, crisp peppers, and juicy pineapple, simmered in a sweet (but not overly) and sour sauce all served over rice and garnished with peanuts for crunch. So good.

A note about the rice: I’ll be honest, I’ve yet to master cooking any rice, but brown has been the biggest challenge. Then I found this method and it really works! No more soggy, clumpy rice. Hooray! (I also tried Alton Brown’s baking method but wasn’t as impressed.)

Sweet and Sour Stir-fried Pork with Pineapple

INGREDIENTS

1 cup brown rice (I used jasmine)
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/4 pounds pork tenderloin
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp. peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bell peppers (any color- I used red and yellow), sliced
1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple
4 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 Tbsp. roasted peanuts, chopped for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook the rice according to package directions (about 45 minutes cook time). **Or follow this method for perfect brown rice- works great!!**

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar and sugar.

3. Slice the pork into 1/2-inch-thick rounds, then slice again to make 1/2-inch-wide strips. Place the pork in a medium bowl and sprinkle with the cornstarch and salt and pepper, and toss to coat.

4. In a large skillet or wok, heat the oil over high heat until very hot. Add the pork and stir-fry until the pork is almost cooked through and begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Remove the pork from the pan and set aside on a plate. Add the garlic and bell peppers and stir-fry until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the pineapple and scallions and the pork back in and continue to stir-fry until the pork is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

5. Whisk the soy sauce mixture and add it to skillet. Cook until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve over the rice and garnish with roasted peanuts if desired.

Serves 4.

(Adapted from Kelsey Nixon)