Let's see. When did my maternal grandmother, Martha, retire? I think that it was around 1971. My youngest sister and I spent about a month with Grandma Martha and Grandpa Joe the summer of that same year. I was thirteen years-old.
Grandma celebrated her retirement by taking classes. She shared all of her new knowledge with a little tag-along-homemaker, me. As Grandma practiced her new skills, I learned how to cook with a wok and how to sew knits. My dad and grandpa were so dedicated, they wore and wore the shirts that I had made them. I'm sure that they were pleased as punch that they had matching plaid knit shirts. Hmmmm????
Grandma was also an avid gardener. As I enjoy the harvest of my humble garden, I cannot help but reminisce.
After I got married, Grandma gave me her tried and true wok cookbook, "Sunset WOK Cook Book -- Stir-Fry, Deep-Fry, Steaming", copyright 1980. My daughters laugh at the totally 70's graphics and pictures in it. You know what? The recipes in it are fantastic. However, I am one to tweak. It drives my family crazy. Whenever they ask me which recipe to use, I always tell them, "But I do this instead..."
So, here it is! Gretchen's tweak of two wok recipes provided in this treasured cook book. I adapted Sunset's "Sweet and Sour Chicken in a Pineapple Shell" and "Stir-fried Sweet and Sour Pork".
Since I'm adjusting to the "empty nest thing", I usually cook large portions of meat in order that I have leftovers for future meals (such as a pork loin roast or extra chicken breasts). It's great to have extra protein on hand for easy stir-fry like this recipe. Enjoying some of the veggies from my very own garden makes it all the more fantastic. This meal is truly an aromatic wonder too.
GG's Sweet & Sour Chicken/Pork -- serves about 4 people
1) Begin cooking 6 cups of rice.
2) Prepare stir-fry ingredients, leaving them in separate piles on your chopping block or place in individual bowls:
- Mince one or two garlic cloves (depending how much you like garlic)
- Slice and dice one onion according to your liking
- Do the same with one or two green, red and/or yellow sweet peppers
- Drain one small can of pineapple chunks
- half lengthwise and then slice one medium carrot
- Dice one large red ripe tomato (about a cup)
- Chop fresh cilantro, so that it equals 3 or 4 tablespoons
- Dice cooked chicken or pork into bite size pieces
3) Make sweet & sour sauce:
- stir together 8 teaspoons of cornstarch and 1/2 cup of sugar
- stir in 1/2 cup of wine vinegar, then add:
- 4 tablespoons catsup
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- then add your chopped cilantro
4) Heat wok or skillet
5) Pour approximately 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, peanut oil or sesame oil on the warming skillet or wok
6) When you wave your hand over the wok or skillet and feel heat, begin stir-frying the following ingredients:
- onions and peppers (let cook for about 2 minutes)
- carrot (let cook for about 2 minutes)
- add the sweet & sour sauce and let it come to a boil
- meat and garlic (cook long enough so that the meat is cooked through)
- add tomato and pineapple (cook long enough so that all ingredients are warm, but not overcooked)
7) Spoon sweet and sour mixture on top of cooked rice
8) You can garnish with more cilantro.
Enjoy!!