Caramelized Pork Stir Fry

I'm reading Peter Heller's The Painter right now and I love it. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for something to read. If you haven't read his other book, The Dog Stars, I also suggest you find a copy immediately.

Heller's main character is a painter and a fishermen. He spends a lot of time doing both in the book. The books we love resonate with us. According to another recent favorite book of mine, The Storied Life of A.J. Firky, books give us the words we couldn't come up with. Heller does that for me with The Painter. For anyone who has a passion or anyone who loves the outdoors, Heller gives us words for the all consuming feelings of calm and joy these passions and places give us. His book makes me feel peaceful and I hope maybe it does the same for you.

This weekend we finally got up to the mountains for our own outdoor peace. We hiked quiet trails in Rocky Mountain National Park, sat on the porch of the cabin overlooking Longs Peak, and ate a bunch of junk. It was quite relaxing.

Given the amount of bread, cheese, and sweets we consumed in Estes, we were looking for something a little lighter for dinner this week. In our house, lighter never means sacrificing flavor. This Caramelized Pork Stir Fry fits the bill perfectly. The original recipe actually calls this caramel pork, given the thick slightly sweet and salty sauce that coats the vegetables and the pork. It only takes about 30 minutes to throw together and really hits the spot for a satisfying lighter dish. This dish is a keeper and will definitely make it into our rotation of weeknight meals.

Caramelized Pork Stir Fry 
Adapted from How Sweet Eats

1 cup chicken broth
3 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs fish sauce
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsps cornstarch
2 tsps white wine vinegar
1 lb boneless pork chops, cubed
2 tbs olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 cup of carrots, chopped
1 medium to large head of broccoli, florets cut into bite sized
1 tbs ginger
5 cloves of garlic
1/2 a head of cabbage, shredded
1/4 cup crushed peanuts
2 cups prepared jasmine rice

Prepare your rice according to the package directions.

In a bowl whisk together chicken broth, brown sugar, fish sauce, red pepper flakes, cornstarch, and vinegar. Reserve for later.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add pork and brown on all sides. Place pork on a plate and reserve for later.

Add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and add onion, ginger, carrot, garlic, and broccoli. Cook until softened, 5-6 minutes. Pour chicken stock mixture over the top and simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened. Add pork back in and cook 1 minute until warmed.

Serve over rice with cabbage and peanuts.