Thai Coconut Lime Dippers

Dippers
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
Nonstick cooking spray
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed

Fondue
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced, peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (16 ounce) can chicken broth
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

3 cups hot cooked rice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

To prepare the dippers, trim the fat from the pork. Spray a rack that will fit in shallow roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place the pork on the rack. Line the bottom of roasting pan with foil; place rack in the pan; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the water, vinegar, soy sauce and honey; brush the mixture over the pork. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of pork. Bake for 30 minutes or until the thermometer registers 160 degrees F. Remove from oven, let stand 5 minutes, then cut the pork into bite-size pieces.

Meanwhile, cook the sugar snap peas in boiling water for 1 minute or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.

To prepare the fondue, heat the sesame oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Stir in the chicken broth, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove mixture from heat.

Lightly spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife. Combine the flour and water, stirring well with a whisk. Add the flour mixture, coconut milk, lime zest, lime juice, brown sugar, salt and crushed red pepper to the ginger mixture; cook over medium heat 8 minutes or until slightly thick and bubbly, stirring frequently. Pour into a fondue pot. Keep warm over low flame. Dip pork and peas into fondue.

Spoon the rice into the fondue pot after the dippers are eaten. Heat 1 minute and ladle into soup bowls.

Yields 6 servings.

Cook's note: This fondue is really a two-course meal. After you've dipped all the pork and snap peas, add rice to the pot. It will soak up the flavor of the seasoned pork and create a delicious, soupy side dish.