Put a Yankee twist on a taste of Asia

By Jim Bailey
theyankeechef.blogspot.com

One of my favorite Asian dishes has got to be tangerine beef; but I wanted something with more flavor and tang.

Here is the best Yanked recipe with tangerine beef in mind, but with a tweak.

1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons both honey and soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried ginger
2 egg whites, whisked well
1 pound lean pork, cubed
3 tablespoons canola oil
4-6 ounces snap peas
1 teaspoon minced garlic in oil
1 mango, pitted, peeled and diced
1 yellow bell pepper, halved, seeded and diced
3 cups hot cooked rice, kept warm

Mix cornmeal, chili powder and pepper in a shallow bowl; set aside.

In another bowl, mix vinegar, honey, soy sauce and ginger, stirring well; set aside.

In yet another, larger bowl, add whisked egg whites and add pork, stirring to coat well.

Lift out pork with a slotted spoon, or your fingers, and allow excess egg whites to drain.

Add to bowl of cornmeal mix and toss to make sure every piece is evenly coated. Let stand while heating oil.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat until hot.

Carefully add pork cubes, separating as you place in hot oil. Cook a total of about 5-6 minutes, turning frequently, or until browned all over and the pork has completely cooked through.

Add snap peas and garlic, tossing to combine. Continue cooking until peas are crisp tender, another 4-5 minutes.

Add mango, bell pepper and soy sauce mixture, stirring well.

Bring to a boil and allow to cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat to serve over hot cooked rice.

Serves 3