Something Squirrelly this Way Comes

Here's what I made for my NYD feast. It was originally a Rachael Ray recipe. However, I modified it. :) For example she has you putting the stir fry over linguini, last night I ate it by itself and this morning (yes, Morning) I had it in a jalapeno tortilla wrap. Very good both ways.

1 rounded tablespoon sweet-hot mustard
1/4 cup tamari, dark, sweet soy sauce, eyeball the amount
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock, or about half of one 14 ounce container
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, from Asian foods aisle, a serious drizzle
2 8 oz Pork chops
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and black pepper
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
12 to 16 crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 inches fresh ginger root, finely chopped or grated
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
5 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
2 cups fresh bean spouts, 4 handfuls
1/2 head red cabbage, sliced into thin strips
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds or black sesame seeds, for garnish

Bring a pot of water to boil. It's for blanching carrots but also can cook pasta in it, should you desire pasta with your stir fry.

Place sweet hot mustard in a bowl. Whisk in Tamari sauce. Add stock and sesame oil to the broth and soy. Set aside. If you taste it now, it's Really strong. But it mellows out once poured over the pork and veggies.

Slice the pork loin very thinly against the grain. I just sliced it, no clue if it was against the grain or not.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high to high heat. To the skillet, add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add crushed pepper flakes to the oil, then the thinly sliced pork. Season pork with salt and pepper.

Cook pork 2 minutes to caramelize the meat, then turn and stir-fry. Blanch carrots for a minute, then remove with a slotted spoon. (Add pasta to boiling water at this point.) Transfer carrots to pork stir-fry. Add mushrooms, ginger, red bell pepper, scallions and bean sprouts.

Toss and stir-fry veggies with pork for 2 minutes. (Cook pasta to al dente. Drain and add to the pork and veggies.) Pour Tamari and broth mixture over stir fry. Toss to fully coat veggies and pork. If you're adding pasta, allow the noodles to completely soak up the liquids, a minute or so. Otherwise, there will be a yummy, sweet sauce. Remove from heat. Serve large bowls of noodles, pork and veggies with a garnish of toasted sesame seeds or black sesame seeds.

Modifications
- I didn't have chicken stock, used broth.
- Added the 1/2 head red cabbage
- Skipped pasta
- Used pork loin instead of pork chops