Chinese Take-out Sweet-and-sour Lamb

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 lb lamb tenderloin, cut into bite-sized cubes
• 1 tablespoon rice wine or 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon szechwan pepper or 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2 -3 cups peanut oil or 2 -3 cups vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce
• 1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares (1 cup)
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares (1 cup)
• 1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices (1 cup)
• 5 slices pineapple, cut into 1-inch squares
• rice, # 318419 for serving
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Recipe

• 1 in a medium bowl, toss the lamb with the wine, soy sauce, and pepper. marinate for at least 15 minutes.
• 2 fill a wok or large frying pan with 3 inches of oil and heat to 360º.
• 3 in a bowl, combine the ketchup, sugar, cider vinegar, stock, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili sauce. set aside.
• 4 in a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, egg , vegetable oil, salt and 1/4 cup water to form a batter. dip the lamb in the batter, then carefully add about 10 pieces of lamb to the wok and fry for 3 minutes. remove the cooked lamb with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. continue to dip and cook the remaining lamb in the same manner. (if you would like the lamb to be extra-crispy, fry it again in small batches for 1 minute. be careful not to let the oil's temperature drop below 350º or the lamb will absorb oil).
• 5 pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of the oil in the wok or heat another pan with 3 tablespoons of oil. add the garlic to the pan and cook for about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn it, then add the bell peppers, onion, and pineapple. stir-fry the vegetables until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
• 6 stir the reserved sauce and add it to the vegetables along with the fried lamb. toss until the sauce lightly coats the vegetables and meat.
• 7 serve hot with rice and garnished green onions.