Recipe: Sweet & Sour Pork

INGREDIENTS

200g pork shoulder steaks, cut into 2cm cubes

100g cornflour, seasoned with ¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

½ onion, diced

½ green pepper, diced

vegetable oil, for frying

The marinade:

1 tsp sesame oil

½ tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp light soy sauce

1 egg

The sauce:

4 tbsp tomato ketchup

4 tbsp rice vinegar or white wine vinegar

4 tbsp granulated sugar

½ tsp dark soy sauce

Allergens are marked in bold

Add the marinade ingredients to the pork and, using your hands, massage the pieces until they are evenly coated, then add the seasoned cornflour and rub it into the meat. The meat will first start to stick together in clumps but will start to separate as you continue to rub it. Once all the meat has completely separated it is ready to be fried.

Half-fill a large pot, wok or deep-fryer with vegetable oil and heat to 180° C, or until the tip of a wooden chopstick or skewer starts to fizz after a second or so in the oil. Carefully add the marinated meat and deep-fry until golden brown, about 5–6 minutes. Remove the pieces carefully with a slotted spoon and drain well on a plate covered with kitchen paper.

Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl or ramekin. Place all ingredients onto a plate but keep separated, including onions and peppers, followed by pork, then the sauce.

In a wok, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over a high heat until smoking-hot. Add the onion and pepper, if using, and stir-fry for 1 minute until the onions are lightly browned, then pour over the sauce and bring to a vigorous boil.

Once boiling, add the pork pieces and toss through a few times to mix everything together. Serve immediately.