Japanese Sweet and Sour Pork

INSPIRED BY VIRGINIA BENTLEY and the frost covering the ground this morning: a quick sweet and sour pork with a Japanese twist.

Toss 1 pound bite-sized pork with 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Set aside.

Saute chopped onion and green pepper, about a cup of each, in a few tablespoons of corn oil. Add 1/2 cup each sliced shiitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots and continue cooking. Salt lightly. Remove from pan and set aside. In the same pan, stir fry the pork in a bit of additional oil until browned and mostly cooked through.

In a small bowl, mix together the juice from an 8 ounce can of pineapple chunks, 2 tablespoons corn starch, 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon ketchup, 1/4 cup sugar. Add to the pan and bring to a boil. Boil for one to two minutes, stirring constantly. Add the reserved vegetables and pineapple chunks; stir well, and heat through. Serve immediately with white or brown rice.

Some recipes call for the addition of pre-cooked carrots. If desired, simmer carrots in a small amount of salted water until just tender, then slice into thin coins or long diagonals. Add just before serving.