This dish is my childhood on a plate. Over the years, sweet and sour pork has got a really bad rep with artificial tasting sauces and over battered pork in fast food takeaways. However I am pleased to say, that this dish is so much more than that. This recipe is made with crispy fried pork (rather than batter), chunks for fresh pineapple, red capsicum, red onions and a sauce which is brilliantly balanced in sweet and sour. The dish is inspired by some of the best sweet and sour pork I've eaten in South East Asia.
Ingredients
400g Pork (scotch or pork shoulder cuts is best)
1/2 tsp chinese 5 spice
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 egg
1 cup chopped fresh pineapple (this is a must)
1/2 red onion
1/2 red capsicum
2 rough chopped scallion (green onions)
1 cup cornflour for coating
1 1/2 cup canola oil for frying
Sweet and sour sauce
1 tsp ginger, finely grated
1 large garlic clove, finely grated
1 tsp canola oil
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp plum sauce
2 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tsp dark soya sauce
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/3 cup chicken stock
1 tsp cornstarch
Method
Cut the pork into small pieces, suggest 1cm x 2cm pieces. Place in a bowl with 5 spice, sesame oil, soya sauce, cornstarch and an egg. Mix and cover with cling wrap for 20 minutes. Prepare a large bowl with cornflour to coat the pork and fry in a medium sized pot, the oil should be heated to 190c. Next coat the marinated pork lightly in the cornflour and fry until golden brown and place on paper towels for the next fry. I suggest double frying the pork for best results.
Prepare the pineapple (this for me is a must to use fresh pineapple to give the fresh pop to the dish), capsicum, onion and shallots. Next, combine your sauce in a small bowl leaving the chicken stock and cornstarch to be added last. In a hot pan, sear the fresh ingredients, then place in the sauce and stir. To finish the sauce, stir in the cornflour in the chicken stock and pour into the pan thicken the sauce. Finally add the double fried pork and stir together. Serve on its own or over medium grained rice or rice of your choice.
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Happy cooking! I would really love to see your results. Please post a snap of your dish on instagram and tag with #jimmywongeats
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