Sweet and Sour Pork Chops

 

1 medium onion

1 medium carrot (or about 1/3 bag of small baby carrots)

1 tablespoon corn oil ( I use olive oil)

2 pork chops (about 1/2 pound each)

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup vinegar

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch or 2 tablespoons flour

1/4 cup cold water

Peel the onion and chop it into 1/2 inch pieces. Peel the carrot, trim and discard the ends and cut the rest into 1/4 inch slices. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add pork chops and brown quickly on both sides. Remove pork chops and set aside. Turn down the heat to medium and add the onion and carrot. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have begun to soften.

Add the water, vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce and hot pepper sauce and stir.

Return the pork chops to the pan and spoon some of the sauce over each pork chop. Turn down the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes. Halfway through the cooking, turn the pork chops over. There should be at least 1/2 inch of liquid in the pan. If not, add 1/2 cup of water.

Transfer the pork chops to a serving dish. Mix the cornstarch or flour with the 1/4 cup cold water and pour it into the frying pan with the vegetables. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, uncovered, for 1 minute. Serve the vegetables and gravy with the pork chops.

Serve with white rice.

Takes about 45 minutes from start to finish. Serves 2 Hint: I double the water, vinegar, brown sugar soy sauce and hot pepper sauce, coz we LOVE this gravy!! (OK, We double the pork chops, too!! LOL) If you double these, also double the cornstarch and water to thicken. Haven't tried this, but if you have it on hand, toss in some maraschino cherries and/or pineapple and/or green pepper towards the end, just enough to heat them up.

~~Katie

Submitted by KatieLiz11@aol.com

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