Sweet and Sour Pork with Pineapple

Tue, 15 August 2017

(Serves 6)

Sweet & Sour Sauce:
1 tablespoon soft light brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar/white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sherry
4floz/110ml dark soy sauce
175 ml/6fl oz chicken stock
2 tbsp tomato ketchup/chilli jam
1 lighted rounded dessert spoon cornflour mixed with a little water
Dash of Tabasco sauce (optional)

- Put the sugar, vinegar, sherry, soy sauce and chicken stock into a medium sized saucepan with the tomato ketchup/chilli jam.

- In a separate bowl mix the cornflour with a little water to make a paste and add this to the liquids in the pot.

- Bring the entire mixture to the boil, whisking occasionally, and then reduce the heat to a simmer for 8-10 minutes until the sauce is of coating consistency.

- Transfer the sauce to a large jug and use as required.

The Main Dish
2 medium sized pork steaks (trimmed of excess sinew) (Approx 1 ½ lb/700g)
½ inch fresh ginger-finely diced
2 cloves garlic-finely diced
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons oil
1 carrot-cut into thin strips
1 ½ mixed peppers (½ each red, green, yellow)-cut into thin strips
1 red onion-thinly sliced
6 button mushrooms-thinly sliced
4oz/110g fresh pineapple/1 small tin
1 bunch spring onions

- Dice the pork into long strips and sprinkle with the cayenne pepper, diced ginger, garlic and oil.

- Mix together and if time allows you can leave them to marinade for an hour or so.

- Heat a wok or frying pan and cook the pork until browned all over-this will probably take about 7-8 minutes.

- Next add in the peppers, onions and carrots (which have been cut into strips) and cook them gently.

- After a further 6-7 minutes, pour in the sweet and sour sauce and bring this mixture to the boil.

- Add in the diced pineapple and chopped spring onions just before you are ready to serve.

- Serve with some basmati rice.