Terry’s Kitchen

Sweet and Sour Pork

This has to be the most popular Chinese Dish all over the world.
The pork can be replaced by almost anything, fish, prawns, chicken or vegetables.

Serves 4

250g-300g (8-10oz) Lean pork
2 tsps brandy or whisky
Vegetable oil for deep frying
1 egg, beaten
2 tbspns plain white flour
Salt and pepper

Sauce

1 tbspn vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
1 small carrot, diced
1/2 small green pepper, cored, deseeded and diced
1 tbspn light soy sauce
3 tbspns sugar
3 tbsnps white vinegar
1 tbspn tomato puree
3-4 tbspns Chinese stock See here or water
1 tbspn cornflour paste See here

1. Cut the pork into bite-sized cubes.
Place ina dish with the salt, pepper and the brandy and leave to marinate for 15-20 minutes.

2. Heat the oil in a wok or deep fryer.
Place the pork in a bowl with the beaten egg and stir to coat.
Sprinkle on the flour and turn the pork cubes until well coated.

3. Deep fry the pork in batches for 3-4 minutes, stirring gently to keep the pieces separate.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

4. Reheat the oil until hot and return the meat to the wok/deep fat-fryer for another minute or until golden brown.
Remove again and drain on clean kitchen paper.

5. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a wok or pan.
Add the vegetables and stir-fry for about 1 minute.
Add the seasonings and tomato puree with the stock or water.
Bring to the boil and thicken by adding the cornflour paste.

6. Add the pork and blend well, so that each piece of pork is coated in the sweet and sour sauce.
Serve hot with plain boiled rice.

Chinese Stock

Makes 2.5 litres/4 pints/10 cups

750g/1 1/2 lbs chicken pieces
750g/1 1/2 lbs pork spare ribs
3.75 litres/6 pints/15 cups cold water
3-4 pieces ginger, crushed
3-4 spring onions (scallions)
3-4 tbspns Chinese rice wine/dry sherry

Trim off excess fat from chicken and spare ribs.
Chop them into large pieces.

Place the chicken and pork pieces in a large pan with water.
Add the ginger and spring onions.

Bring to the boil and skim off the scum.
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for at least 2-3 hours.

Strain the stock, discarding the chicken, pork, ginger and spring oinions.
Add the wine/sherry and return to the boil, simmer for 2-3 minutes.

When cool, refridgerate for up to 4-5 days.
Alternatively, it can be frozen in small containers and defrosted as required.

Cornflour Paste

Cornflour (cornstarch) paste is made by mixing one part cornflour with 1.5 parts cold water.
Stir until smooth and use to thicken sauces.

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