Sweet & Sour Turkey

by Steve Baker
Salvation Army Family Service Homeless Shelter

Ingredients

One 20 lb turkey deboned and cut into 1 inch cubes
4-6 cups flour for dredging
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon lemon pepper
1 tablespoon salt
4 cups vinegar
4 cups water
2 cups sugar
18 tablespoons soy sauce
4 cups pineapple juice
24 tablespoons corn starch
1 tablespoon red food coloring
2 large green peppers
1 large red pepper
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups pineapple chunks (drained well and patted dry)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cups long grain rice
8 cups water
2 tablespoons chicken base
4 tablespoons veg oil
6 or 8 green onions for garnishing. (cut them into 2 to 3 inch length and julienne them, then hold them in a little ice so they slightly curl up.)

Directions

Mix all the seasonings into the flour and dredge the raw turkey cubes in the flour. Deep fry the turkey till done but not over done.

Bring all the liquid ingredients and sugar to a boil together. (Except the red food coloring; save it for the end.) Have the 24 tablespoons of corn starch in a bowl and use 1/4 cup of the water from the liquid ingredients to make slurry with it. When the liquid ingredients are starting to boil, add the corn starch slurry to it and whisk it while it returns to a boil. Now add the red food coloring and it will turn a dark red.

Meanwhile, cut the peppers and onion into about 1 inch chunks and slightly stir fry it in a little bit of oil. You want to keep it crunchy.

Add the vegetables, turkey and pineapple together and pour the sweet and sour sauce over it, folding it together carefully as not to damage any of the ingredients. (It should glisten)

In another pan (preferably a 6 quart braiser or frying pan with a lid); add the 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil, heat it up, add the rice to the oil and mix it around till it slightly browns. Now add 1/2 the water and the chicken base to the rice. Continue stirring and let it come to a vigorous boil for about a minute. Now add the remaining water, bring back to a slight boil and turn down heat to a simmer. Cover and let it simmer untouched for about 15 minutes or until the rice looks like it is cracked. (It is now done.)

Serve the sweet and sour turkey over the rice. You can top it off with green onions.