Sweet 'n sour pork

This is my mum’s recipe for sweet and sour pork and I still love it as much as I did as when I was a kid. And, yes, those are strawberries!

Credit: Adam Liaw

• serves

  2

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 300 g fatty pork neck, diced
• vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• 1 egg
• 350 g (2 cups) potato flour
• 50 g diced red capsicum  
• 50 g diced green capsicum   
• 50 g diced onion  
• 50 g drained canned pineapple pieces
• halved strawberries, to serve

Marinade

• 3 g salt
• 3 g msg
• 3 g bicarbonate of soda
• 3 g potato flour

Sauce

• 200 g brown sugar
• 180 ml white vinegar
• 100 g tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 50 g potato flour

Marinating time: 1 hour

Instructions

1. Place the pork neck in a large bowl with all the marinade ingredients and 60 ml (¼ cup) water. Stir to combine well, then cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until all the water has been absorbed.
2. For the sauce, place all the ingredients except the potato flour in a saucepan. Add 200 ml water and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Combine the potato flour with 1½ tablespoons of water, then slowly pour into the sauce, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens to the desired consistency. Remove from the heat.
3. Heat the oil for deep-frying in large wok to around 180ºC. Light beat the egg in a shallow bowl and place the potato flour in another bowl. Working in small batches, dip the pork in the egg, then toss in the flour to coat and cook until light golden and crisp. Drain on a wire rack.     
4. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the wok and place over high heat. Add the capsicum and onion and toss for 1-2 minutes or until just starting to soften. Add the fried pork and just enough sauce to coat and toss to combine well. Add the pineapple, toss to combine and remove from the heat. Serve scattered with strawberries. 

 

Photography by Adam Liaw.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.