Spicy Szechuan Pork

I didn't grow up with much spicy Chinese food cuz my mom didn't like them. I've seen Szechuan Pork on many menus but never tried it until I met my husband. He, on the other hand, LOVES spicy food and will actually add more chili sauce on top of the already incredibly spicy dish! We always order Szechuan Pork for takeout but tonight I thought I'd try and make it myself. I did some research and blended a few recipes together to create my own and it turned out SO good! I read somewhere that marinating the meat in a cornstarch mixture really helps seal in the flavor and make the outside crispy and it worked like a charm! I also added some bell pepper for some extra crunch and pretty color. My mom is definitely missing out on some yummy spicy dishes!

Ingredients:


2 Tbsp soy sauce, divided
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 lb boneless pork chops, thinly sliced into bite-size pieces
1 Tbsp dry sherry
1 tsp chili garlic sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
2 small dried red chilies
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 sliced green onion
1/2 tsp grated ginger
Hot cooked rice, for serving


Prep:


1. Blend 1 Tbsp soy sauce and cornstarch in medium bowl. Add pork, tossing to coat well. Mix remaining Tbsp soy sauce with sherry, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil and sugar in a small bowl and set aside.


2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chilies and stir until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Add the pork mixture. Cook and stir for 5 to 7 minutes, until pork is no longer pink. Remove pork from skillet and set aside.


3. Add garlic, bell pepper, green onions and ginger to the skillet. Cook and stir for 3 minutes or until tender-crisp.


4. Turn heat down to medium-low and return pork to skillet with sherry mixture. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly until mixture is thickened. Serve over rice.