Sweet Sour Sauce with Pork Butt

• 1 lb lean pork butt
• 1 green pepper
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Ajinomoto

Trim fat from pork and cut into 1/2-inch cubes or in strips. Season pork to taste with salt, pepper and ajinomoto. Cut green pepper into 1/2-inch squares. Set pork and pepper aside while preparing batter.

Batter:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp egg, beaten
• 1 tsp cooking oil
• 1/2 cup water

Mix flour, cornstarch and baking powder together. In separate bowl, combine beaten egg, cooking oil and water; stir into dry ingredients. Dip pork into batter and deep fry in hot oil for 3-5 minutes, until brown. Drain pork on paper towels. Arrange on a platter, garnish with pepper squares and keep warm while preparing sweet-sour sauce.

Sauce:

• 1/3 cup catsup
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ajinomoto
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 3-1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/3 cup water

Combine catsup, sugar, water, salt aji and soy sauce. Bring to a boil in saucepan. Add vinegar and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat. Make paste of cornstarch water; add this gradually to hot mixture, stirring to avoid lumps. Bring to boil again and pour over cooked pork and pepper squares.

Yield: 6 servings