Sweet and Sour Pork

During my time in Hong Kong I found that it was much cheaper to order or prepare foods which the locals eat. Also it added a bit to the adventure to be sampling the local cuisine not commonly found in the west. One dish I found myself eating quite often was sweet and sour pork. Quite similar to it's western counterpart sweet and sour chicken, only a bit healthier and doesn't leave you hungry 30 minutes after eating it. It's one of the few dishes I could serve to my family without them experiencing culture shock

The recipe does include a bit of frying which can be done using a wok or if you have one a fryer. I find the wok works just fine, and you only have that to clean when you're done cooking. There are a few substitutions in this recipe as a few of the ingredients are a bit difficult to locate here in the west.

Batter Ingredients

1 tbsp rice wine

1 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

1 lb pork loin, cut into cubes

1 lightly beaten egg

4 tbsp cornstarch

Vegetable oil for frying

Sauce Ingredients

2/3 cup chicken broth (stock)

1 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tsp dark soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

4 tsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp ketchup

2 tsp cornstarch, mixed to a smooth paste in 1 tbsp water

1 red bell pepper, chopped

Batter Preparation

1. Combine the rice wine, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a medium bowl; add the pork and toss to coat. Let marinate for 15 minutes.
    
2. In a shallow bowl, beat the egg with 1 tbsp of the cornstarch. Place the remaining 3 tbsp cornstarch in another wide shallow bowl.
    
3. Lift the pork from the marinade and toss in the cornstarch bowl. Then dip the pork into the egg-cornstarch mixture bowl to coat.
    
4. Heat the oil in a wok. Fry the pork in batches for 5 minutes until golden brown. Drain on paper towel and set aside.

Sauce Preparation

1. In a large wok combine all ingredients except for the bell pepper and bring to a boil. Cook and stir until slightly thickened.
    
2. Stir in the chopped bell pepper.
    
3. Add the fried pork, heat and stir gently until coated.
    
4. Serve with jasmine rice