My Mother's Sweet and Sour Pork
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 20 minutes plus 15 minutes tenderising time
Cooking time: 15 minutes
- 500g/1.1lbs. pork neck, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 large onion, peeled and sliced
- 1-2 Lebanese cucumber, sliced
- 2 tomatoes, cut into crescents
- 2 stalks spring onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 red chilli, sliced
- Oil for deep frying
Tenderiser
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3-5 tablespoons cornflour/fine cornstarch
Gravy
- 200ml/7 fl ozs. water or stock
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 6 tablespoons tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chilli sauce
- 2 tablespoons Lea and Perrins sauce
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornflour (mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water just before adding)
Step 1 - Mix all of the tenderiser ingredients together except for the cornflour. Mix with the pork pieces and allow to tenderise for 15 minutes.
Step 2 - While it is tenderising, mix all of the gravy ingredients except for the cornflour water mixture. Have all of the ingredients cut and ready to add as it is quite quick once you get started. Add the tenderiser cornflour to the pork and coat each piece with the cornflour.
Step 3 - Heat enough oil to deep fry in a wok or pan and when it is ready deep fry the pork pieces. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Do not overcook these-they won't get very dark as this is cornflour. Drain the hot oil (be very careful, it's very hot!).
Add a couple of tablespoons of oil back to the wok or pan and add the onion and fry until translucent. Add the gravy sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer. Add in the cornflour and water mixture to thicken the sauce. Add the cucumber, tomato, spring onion and red chilli. Add the pork back into the pan and coat the pieces with the sauce. Serve immediately.