Recipe: Shredded Pork with Peking Sauce

Shredded Pork with Peking Sauce
Source: The Chinese Restaurant Cookbook by Barbara Myers

Fine strips of pork sizzled in a clinging, spicy sweet sauce. A Peking specialty.

Yield: one order, but serves 2. Because of the intense flavor, small portions are adequate. Best served along with other dishes.

"I made this for the first time for a banquet for a few friends. This turned out very well; in fact, it was the most popular of the dishes. Try it yourself! (I doubled the recipe... lucky I decided to!) - Stewart Wiener, 1984"

1/4 pound boneless pork

Trim off fat and slice with the grain int1/8-inch strips, then again int1/8" slivers about 2.5 t3 inches long. There should be about 2 cups. (Shredding is easier when meat is part frozen.)

Marinade:
1/2 egg white (1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp. water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir the whole egg white briskly with a fork, then measure. Combine the ingredients in a shallow bowl, stirring till smooth. Add the pork, mix well, cover, refrigerate at least 1 hour (or overnight).

1 scallion
2 thin slices fresh ginger

Cut white part of scallion int1/4 inch rings. Slit green part lengthwise in fine 2" shreds and reserve for garnish. Peel and mince ginger; combine with scallion rings.

Seasoning sauce:
2 tablespoons sweet bean sauce or hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine (or gin, or dry sherry)
1/2 teaspoon sugar (with hoisin, use 1.5 teaspoons)

Measure sweet bean sauce or hoisin; set aside in a cup. Combine remaining ingredients in a separate cup.

Cooking oils:
2 cups peanut or corn oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)

Heat a wok over high heat. Add the 2 cups oil; when barely hot, add pork shreds, stirring separate. When no longer pink, about 1 minute, pour into colander set over a bowl to catch drippings.

Reheat wok over highest heat. Return 2 tbsp. of drained oil. When almost smoking, add scallion rings and ginger; stir once to coat, then turn down heat to medium-high. Add the sweet bean or hoisin sauce. Let bubble until most of moisture has evaporated, and the sizzling noise is greatly reduced. Then add the remaining Seasoning Sauce; stir together 10-15 seconds.

Return the pork shreds to wok and turn heat to highest. Cook 30 seconds, stirring rapidly until pork is hot and evenly coated with sauce. Remove from heat; stir in 1 tbsp. sesame oil if desired and mix well.

Remove to a small serving platter, garnish with the green scallion shreds. Serve at once.