Spicy Szechwan Pork Stew

From Better Homes and Garden's Prizewinning Recipes cookbook.

Ingredients:
6 green onions
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp cooking oil
3 cups water
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup dry sherry
1 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp fennel seed, crushed
1/2 tsp five-spice powder
6 medium carrots, cut into bite-size strips
1/4 cup cold water
3 Tbsp flour
hot cooked rice or noodles

Directions:
1. Cut green onions into 1-inch pieces. Separate white pieces from green onion tops; set both aside.
2. Trim fat from meat. Cut meat into 1-inch cubes. In a 4-quart dutch oven brown meat and garlic, half at a time, in hot oil. Drain off fat. Return all of the pork mixture to dutch oven. Add the white onion pieces, the 3 cups water, soy sauce, sherry, ginger, red pepper, fennel, and five-spice powder. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add carrots. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 25 minutes more or until meat and carrots are tender. Skim off fat.
3. In a small bowl stir together the 1/4 cup cold water and flour. Stir into meat mixture. Add green onion tops. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. If desired, serve with hot cooked rice or noodles.