Sweet and Sour Pork

Description:
After trying two sauce recipes which were from Australian Women's Weekly, Floyd's China and Kylie Kwong's Simple Chinese Cooking with disappointment. All sauces are very sour and just too sour for me. The vinegar left the abbrasive sensation on the throat.

At the end, I made my own sauce that is simple and suit my tastebuds. It sweet and sour and not the other way round. I adapted the marinade and batter from Kylie's recipe. And... I'm pleased with the result.

The photo is not artistic at all and the photo was taken the next day with a pocket camera with the flash on. *promise... will take a better photo next time. Yang penting kagak nyolong foto orang lain* :-p



Ingredients:
600 g pork neck, cut into bite size

Marinade overnight in the fridge with:
1.5 Tbsp corn starch
1 Tbsp cold water
1 Tbsp soy sauce, Kikoman
2 egg yolks
2 tsp oil

cooking oil for deep frying


Before frying, add to the pork mixture
0.25 cup plain flour
0.25 cup corn starch
0.5 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp water


Sauce:
1 Tbsp oil
1 medium onion, chopped into 8 segments
0.5 cup tomato sauce (ketchup), Master Foods
1.5 cups water
2.5 Tbsp white vinegar, Home Brand
2 Tbsp caster sugar

2 Tbsp corn starch + 0.5 cup water
0.5 cup tinned diced pineapple



Directions:
Battered pork pieces:

Marinade pork pieces overnight in the fridge.

Add the coatings to the pork mixture. Blend till each piece is coated with flour.

Fry into batches in hot oil for 1-2 minutes or until light yellow. Drain and put aside then continue with the remaining batches. Add fresh oil if the oil is too low or strain the oil if the oil has too much crumb.

Fry the fried pork pieces in batches for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain and put on the paper towel.


Sauce:

Saute the onion in oil until fragrant. Add tomato sauce, water, vinegar and sugar. Bring them to boil.

Add corn starch slurry and mix. Let it boil until the sauce thickens. Add pineapple pieces.


Cook's note:
- The pork pieces can be replaced by other meat such as chicken or fish.
- When the fried meat is reheated in the microwave, it still has some crunch. Of course, when it is not overcooked in the microwave.


Cook's Note:
- I find that tapioca starch is more gluey than the corn starch when the sauce is cold.