Spaghetti with Pork and Peanut Sauce - serves 4

1 pound ground pork (not too lean)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 tsp sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp minced peeled fresh gingerroot
4 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp Asian (toasted) sesame oil
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup hot water
1 pound spaghetti or penne (quill-shaped pasta)
1 cup thinly sliced scallion greens

In a heavy skillet cook the pork in the oil over moderate heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps, until it is no longer pink.
Add 2 tsp of the sugar, the garlic, the gingerroot, and 1 tbsp of the soy sauce, and sauté the mixture over high heat until the pork is browned.
In a blender blend together the remaining 3 tbsp soy sauce, the lemon juice, the sesame oil, the remaining 2 tsp sugar, and the peanut butter and add enough of the hot water to thin the sauce to the desired consistency.
In a kettle of boiling salted water boil the spaghetti until it is al dente, drain it well, and in a large bowl toss it with the pork mixture, the peanut sauce, the scallion greens, and salt and pepper to taste.