Easy Sweet & Sour Pork

Sweet. Sticky. A crowd pleaser, and better than take away. I’ve used Pork shoulder steaks and Pork neck scotch before and they both work well – just dice into 2 cm squares as best you can, or have the butcher do this for you.

Ingredients

  • 500g Diced Pork (see note)
  • 1 Large Green Capsicum
  • 1 Large Onion 
  •  100g cornflour – well seasoned with salt and pepper

The Marinade

  • 1 Egg
  • 1 Tablespoon Tamari
  • 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Coconut Sugar 

The Sauce

  • 4 Tablespoons Tomato Sauce
  • 4 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar or White Wine Vinegar
  • 3 Tablespoons Coconut Sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Tamari

You’ll need a high smoke point oil for frying. Coconut is expensive, so I opt for Rice Bran oil for this purpose.

Method

  1.  Mix marinade ingredients and massage into diced pork. Set aside until you prepare all other ingredients mise en place, including the Sauce. Now is also good time to start prepping your rice to go with it (always thoroughly wash and soak rice first).
  2. Add enough oil to your stainless steel pot or wok to have a depth of about 3 cm, and heat to 180C.  
  3. While the oil is coming up to temperature – Add the seasoned cornflour to the marinated pork, and massage it in using your hands. It will be a sticky mess at first but the meat will start to separate as you continue to rub in the cornflour. Once all pieces are coated and separate – you’re ready to start frying.
  4. Test the oil to see if it’s ready by inserting a wooden spoon, and it should sizzle.
  5. Carefully add the marinated pork in batches, so as not to overcrowd, and fry until golden brown, about 5–6 minutes, turning once or as needed to get a nice golden crunch on all sides. Remove the pieces with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate with paper towel.
  6. In a separate wok, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over a high heat until smoking-hot. Add the onion and pepper, and stir-fry until the onions are lightly browned, but not too soft.
  7. Pour The Sauce over the onions and bring to a vigorous boil.
  8. Once boiling, add the pork pieces and toss through a few times to mix everything together. Serve immediately.