Sweet Sour Port Kylie Kwong

Sweet and Sour Pork

• 2 x 300 g (10 oz) pork neck fillets, cut in half lengthways and then into bite-sized pieces on the diagonal
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 3 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1/4 cup cornflour (cornstarch), extra
• vegetable oil for deep-frying

Sweet and Sour Sauce

• 1/4 small ripe pineapple, peeled
• 1 small carrot, peeled
• 1 small cucumber, peeled
• 3/4 cup malt vinegar
• 5 tablespoons shao hsing wine or dry sherry
• 1 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, extra
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tablespoons ginger julienne
• 1/2 medium-sized yellow pepper, julienned
• 2 small tomatoes, finely sliced
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce

Directions:

Sweet and Sour Pork

1. Blend cornflour with water in a medium-sized bowl until dissolved. Add pork, egg yolks, soy sauce, sesame oil and salt and mix well. Cover and leave to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Combine plain flour and extra cornflour. Add to the marinated pork and mix well.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a hot wok until surface seems to shimmer slightly.
4. Deep-fry pork in batches over high heat for 1 minute, then reduce heat to medium and fry for another 2 minutes, or until pork is almost cooked through.
5. Remove from wok, using a slotted spoon, and drain on kitchen paper.
6. Gently reheat Sweet and Sour Sauce.
7. Finally, return all pork to the hot wok and deep-fry for a further 3 minutes, or until lightly browned, crispy and cooked through. Remove from wok and drain well on kitchen paper.
8. Arrange pork on a platter and serve immediately with a bowl of warm Sweet and Sour Sauce.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1. To make the Sweet and Sour Sauce, remove core from pineapple and finely slice into pieces.
2. Cut cucumber in half lengthways, slice on the diagonal and set aside, together with the pineapple and carrot.
3. Place vinegar, wine or sherry, sugar and extra salt in a medium-sized heavy-based saucepan and stir over high heat until sugar dissolves.
4. Bring to the boil, add garlic and ginger, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
5. Add reserved pineapple, carrot, cucumber, pepper and tomato and simmer for a further 3 minutes or until pineapple is tender and tomato has broken down slightly.
6. Stir in soy sauce, remove from stove and set aside.