500g(1.1 lbs) pork shoulder steakchopped into bite-size chunks
Sauce:
1tbspvegetable oil
1large onionpeeled and chopped into large chunks
1red bell pepperchopped into 1 inch pieces
1green bell pepperchopped into 1 inch pieces
2clovesgarlicpeeled and minced
1tspminced ginger
150ml(1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) tomato ketchup
2tbspmalt vinegar
6tbspsoft brown muscovado sugar(you can use light or dark brown sugar)
435g(15 oz) tinned pineapple chunks in juice
To Serve:
boiled or fried rice
Instructions
Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan until very hot.
5 tbsp vegetable oil
Whilst the oil is heating, add the cornflour (cornstarch) into a shallow bowl. Add the eggs to a second bowl and lightly whisk them.
3 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch), 2 eggs
To a third bowl, add the flour, salt, pepper, garlic salt, and paprika and mix together.
90 g (3/4 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, ½ tsp garlic salt, 2 tsp paprika
Dredge the pork in the cornflour, then dip it in the egg (make sure all of the pork is covered in egg wash), and finally dredge it in the seasoned flour.
500 g (1.1 lbs) pork shoulder steak
Working in one or two batches (depending on the size of your pan - there needs to be space in between each piece of pork), add the pork to the pan/wok and cook on a high heat for 6-7 minutes, turning two or three times during cooking, until well browned and cooked through. Remove from the pan and place in a bowl lined with kitchen towels.
Now start on your sauce.
Add the oil to the pan (you can use the same pan you fried the pork in) and heat it up on a medium-to-high heat.
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Add in the chopped onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring every now and then, until the onions start to go translucent.
1 large onion
Add the chopped red and green peppers and cook for a further minute.
1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper
Add in the minced garlic and minced ginger, and cook for another minute.
2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp minced ginger
Add the tomato ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, and the tinned pineapple (including the juice) and stir.
150 ml (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) tomato ketchup, 2 tbsp malt vinegar, 6 tbsp soft brown muscovado sugar, 435 g (15 oz) tinned pineapple chunks in juice
Bring to the boil, and then turn down the heat and let it bubble (stirring every so often until slightly thickened.
Transfer the cooked crispy pork to the pan with the sauce and toss to coat.
Serve with boiled or fried rice.
boiled or fried rice
Video
Notes
Can I make it ahead?I don't recommend making this recipe ahead, as the coating on the pork will lose the crispness.If you wanted to do some work in advance, earlier in the day you could:
Prepare the 3 bowls for the pork coating (cover them all, and refrigerate the one with the eggs in).
Chop the pork (cover and refrigerate)
Chop the vegetables (cover)
Mix together the ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar and pineapple in a jug, - ready for the sauce (you can't add the garlic and ginger at this point, as it needs to be fried for a minute before the rest of the sauce ingredients are added). Cover the sauce.
Best cut of pork to use for sweet and sourPork has a tendency to be more chewy than chicken when it's fried quickly, so it's best to go for a good quality cut that is quite tender and not too fatty.
I like to use pork shoulder steaks from the butchers.
Pork loin or fillet are also fine, but they have less fat and so they can be a little bit drier.
I don't mind the slightly chewier texture of pork, but if you want it more tender, you can tenderize the pork beforehand.To do this you can:Tenderize the pork (optional)
Use a meat tenderizer (looks like a mallet with sharp points). Place pork steaks on a board and whack them a few times. This helps to break down the muscle fibres, making for more tender meat. Once tenderized, slice or chop the meat ready for coating.
Sprinkle 1 tsp of bicarbonate of soda evenly over 500g (1.1lb) of sliced/chopped pork. Rub it in with your hands and leave for 15 minutes. Rinse the pork in a colander and pat dry thoroughly with kitchen paper. Now it's ready for coating.
Nutritional Information is per serving (this recipe serves 4) NOT including rice.