Sweet and Sour Pork

Serves 3

The infamous Cantonese sweet and sour pork has ruled Chinese restaurants and takeaways worldwide for generations. This much loved Chinese dish is rather easy to put together and requires just a handful of ingredients. The secret to this luscious sweet and sour dish is the right balance of sugar, tomato sauce and vinegar, along with perfectly crispy pork tenderloin. Get the sauce and the fried pork right, and you have conquered this beautiful dish.

Ingredients

PORK MARINADE:

250g pork tenderloin

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

sprinkle of five spice powder

sprinkle of white pepper powder

1 cup plain flour

2 eggs

SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE:

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup rice vinegar or white vegetable vinegar

2 tablespoons plum sauce

1 tablespoon grated ginger, juice only

1 tablespoon corn starch

3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1-3 tablespoons sugar, to taste

FOR STIR FRYING:

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, cut into large cubes

1 red bell pepper, cut into large cubes (replace with large red chilies for spicy flavors)

1 green bell pepper, cut into large cubes

1/2 large pineapple, cored and cut into large cubes

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 spring onion, cut into match sticks

rice bran or coconut or vegetable oil, for frying

Recipe

1Cut the pork into half-inch cubes. Marinate it with soy sauce, salt, baking soda, five spice powder, white pepper. Refrigerate overnight. Bring it back to room temperature before cooking.

2Whisk 2 eggs, and have some plain flour ready in a bowl for deep-frying.

3Dip pork pieces in egg and then coat with flour. Repeat the process again so the pork has two coatings of egg and flour - this will result in crispier pork. Fry immediately.

4In a small saucepan or wok, on medium flame heat 1-2 inches of rice bran or coconut oil until hot and shimmering (350ºF or 175ºC). Drop in pork, a few pieces at a time, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes until lightly golden, then drain on paper towels. Fry the rest of the pork the same way and set aside for 5 minutes on paper towels.

5If you’d like your pork to be extra-crispy, deep-fry it one more time in batches, for about 2 minutes until crispy golden-brown all over. Drain on paper towels.

6To make sweet and sour sauce, in a small saucepan place ketchup, vinegar, chicken stock, plum sauce, ginger juice, corn starch, salt and sugar. Cook it on medium heat. Keep stirring in case it sticks to the bottom of the pan. Once it reaches a simmer, reduce heat and cook on low flame until slightly thick and luscious. Adjust salt and sugar at this point. Set aside

7Heat a wok on medium to high flame. Add a tablespoon of oil and swirl around. Add minced garlic and onion - fry for 1-2 minutes until garlic is fragrant.

8Add chopped peppers, and pineapple - stir-fry for about 3 minutes, and then add pork followed by sauce. Sprinkle white pepper. Stir to coat well. Garnish with spring onion greens. Serve hot with steamed rice.

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