(NC)—"Gung Hay Fat Choy!" Happy Chinese New Year. This year, on January 23rd, people all over the world will be celebrating, welcoming the Year of the Dragon. The fifteen-day festival is celebrated with singing, dancing, arts and crafts, lion dances and dragon parades. You don't have to travel all the way to the Great Wall to take part in Chinese New Year festivities. With a few pantry staples, you can bring the aromas and cuisine of the Far East directly to your home. To add a little international flavour to your dinner table and mix up your regular mealtime routine, consider the Asian-inspired pork tenderloin below. Wrapped in bacon and infused with traditional Asian flavours, this dish offers the look and flavour of five-star restaurant fare but takes mere minutes to pull together.

Bacon Wrapped Pork with Bok Choy

Ingredients:

Serves: 4

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

1 lb (500 gr) pork tenderloin

1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil

8-10 slices bacon

8 cups (2 L) baby bok choy, sliced in half lengthwise and washed

1 bottle VH Sweet & Sour Sauce

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400˚F (200˚F); slice tenderloin into 2 pieces. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and brown the pork, about 7 minutes.

2. Layer 4-5 bacon slices side by side on a cutting board; allow edges to only slightly overlap. Place one piece of pork across the bottom ends of the bacon strips; roll the bacon around the tenderloin and place the wrapped pork seam side down in a baking dish. Repeat with second piece and remaining bacon.

3. Place baking dish in oven and cook until bacon is browned and pork is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160˚F (70C)˚.

4. Pour out leftover oil from sauté pan, add baby bok choy and 2 tbsp (30 mL) water, cover and cook on medium heat for 8 minutes. Add bottle of sweet & sour sauce and heat through, lowering heat to simmer to keep warm.

5. When pork is ready slice and serve with bok choy and VH Sweet & Sour Sauce.

If you're pressed for time, try VH Steamers Kung Pao Chicken from the company's line of frozen entrees. Packed with crisp vegetables and Asian-inspired sauces, these flavourful meals are ready in less than five minutes.

Additional recipe ideas are available online at www.vhsauces.ca.

(source-www.newscanada.com)