Sweet and sour pork recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb 5 oz (600 g) pork scotch fillet cut into 2 cm (¾ inch) chunks
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon cornflour (cornstarch)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 3¾ oz/¾ cup (110 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 17 fl oz/2 cups (500 ml) light peanut oil
• 1 small red capsicum (pepper) thinly sliced
• 1 small green capsicum (pepper) thinly sliced
• 1 small carrot cut into thin matchsticks
• 1 large red chilli thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• steamed jasmine rice to serve

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste (concentrated purée)
• 2 oz/¼ cup (55 g) white sugar
• 6 fl oz/¾ cup (185 ml) white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon cornflour (cornstarch)

1. Put the pork in a bowl that is the right size to fit it all snugly. Add the rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, egg yolks, cornflour and salt. Mix it all together; I find the best way is to use your hands, but you could use a fork or chopsticks if you prefer. Cover and refrigerate for 3–6 hours, or even overnight.
2. When ready to cook, stir the plain flour through the pork so the pork is coated in a thick, sticky batter. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
3. Heat the peanut oil in a wok or saucepan over high heat. The oil is ready when the surface is shimmering. Using chopsticks or metal tongs, add several pieces of the battered pork to the oil and fry for 2–3 minutes, or until golden. Remove to a plate. Give the oil a little time to reheat and cook the remaining pork in batches.
4. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of oil from the wok. Add the capsicums, carrot, chilli, garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but still crisp.
5. Add the sauce mixture to the wok, stir thoroughly and cook for 2–3 minutes to allow the mixture to boil and thicken. Return the pork to the wok and stir together well. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.