Tuesday 23 February 2010

Sweet and Sour Pork

During the first few weeks of our marriage, we were on a marathon race, visting a long list of houses chosen by our parents!!!  It really was an ordeal when, like all newly weds, we too wanted to be alone and with ourselves.  But excuses were not granted.  Off we went racing, me wearing a five kilo heavy brocade saree which pricked me all over and another five kilo of ornaments which gave my body complete shelter from the sun!!! And as a newly wed, you need to be extremely polite and for that, consuming whatever offered to eat or drink is mandatory!!!   After a couple of visits I had my bladder bombarding with a melange of juice, squash, wine, tea/coffee and what not!!!

And for us, the marathon race continues ever after!!!  Since we visit Cochin only once in a year, our parents work as a unit, making sure that we visit 101 houses and get enough excersice and lot of fluids to drink!!!  A healthy homeland visit indeed!!!

You might be thinking why I'm talking about a totaly different topic under the heading 'Sweet and Sour Pork'!!!  Its because this dish reminds me of my newly wed days!!!  It was at one such visit that we got to eat an extremely delicious sweet and sour pork,  prepared by one of my aunts. I hogged on it like a teenager, unthoughtfull of all the prep talks given by mom on being polite and graceful.  Aunt gave me the recipe and here it is with slight changes. Hope you will enjoy this as much we did...


You will need...

Pork belly strips - 500gm diced
Green bell pepper - 1/2 cut into squares
Red bell pepper - 1/2 cut itno squares
Onion - 1 cut itno squares
Cabbage - 1/2 cup cut into squares
Carrots - 1/2 cup sliced into round disks
Pineapple chunks - 1/2 cup
Dark Soya sauce - 2 tbsp
Vinegar - 2 tbsp
Tomatto ketchup - 1 tbsp
Chilli sauce - 1 tbsp
White pepper powder - 1 tsp
Chilly flakes - 1 tsp
Cornflour - 1 tbsp
Sugar - 1-2 tsp
Ajinomotto(Monosodium Glutamate) - a pinch(optional)
Salt - to taste
Oil - as needed. (preferably sesame oil)

For the batter:
Cornflour - 1/4 cup
Plain flour - 1/4 cup
Eggs - 1
Salt - to taste
Sugar - to taste or 2 tsp
Vinegar - 1 tsp
Soya sauce - 1 tbsp

Mix all the ingredients to form a thick batter, adding lukewarm water if needed.


Directions:
Pressure cook the pork with little salt, pepper and 1 tsp soya sauce.  Drain out the pieces and reserve the stock.  Dip the pieces in the prepared batter and deep fry in batches.  Keep aside. Add soya sauce, cornflour, vinegar, sugar, tomatto sauce, chilli sauce, white pepper powder, chilli flakes and salt into the pork stock and mix well.  In a thick bottomed pan or wok stir fry all the vegetables in sesame oil for about 5 minutes(the vegetables should remain crisp like in all chinese preparations) or until done in high heat. Add the prepared sauce and ajinomotto into it and let it boil.  Add the fried pork pieces and continue cooking for two more minutes or until few minutes to the consistancy you need.  Serve hot with chowmein or chinese fried rice.  Can be served as an appetizer as well.


Note: 
The consistancy of the gravy gets thicker upon standing.  So can take it off heat a few minutes before reaching the desired consistancy.

35 comments:

  1. It's being age since I last taste some pork esp this sweet and sour pork..my hubby doesn't really pork so I kind of not eat them but whenever i go to Chinese restaurant i would try them..these looks so mouth -watering..

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  2. I love sweet and sour anything. The deep fried pork and the vegetable-fruit medley looks awesome!Must taste wonderful too!

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  3. Wow...Beautiful click....Looks yummy...

    Love
    Kairali sisters

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  4. Lovely dish...looks so good and tasty...I too had the same experience when I got married :)

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  5. lovely colorful dish... And loved the story! I have similar ones when I head home...

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  6. i dont eat pork,but looks yumm ...

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  7. I don't eat pork... the dish looks colorful...

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  8. Can't agrre with you more on the marathon whenever we visit our hometown..lol..I do not cook pork, we have it very rarely, from friends' place ..But this is tempting me to try out at home :-)

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  9. Sweet and sour pork is my all time favourite, is you aunt Chinese? ;)

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  10. Beautiful click cicily...so colourful

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  11. sweet and sour pork looks so tempting!
    nice meeting someone from Kochi...I can see many similar dishes which we prepare at home :) you have a nice space here!

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  12. hats off to u cicily...dish looks fabulous...ofcourse delicious toooo.....

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  13. Entamo pork..My all time fav anu dear. 1 year engilum ayi kanum kazhichittu......Ithu kandittu control poyee..Soooo delicious...

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  14. njan kazhikarilla pork..Kanan ishtanu..

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  15. Thats a tempting sweet and sour pork, looks fantastic..will try with chicken..

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  16. now thats what i call a colorful and tempting recipe :)..beautiful click too dear :)

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  17. This looks delicious..i must def give it a go...

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  18. superb dear.........delicious!!!!!!!!111

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  19. i near get pork....but the pic is grt .....ummmm mouth watering

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  20. Hot and sour with meat...must be very tastee...love this combination:)

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  21. peeping into ur blog for the first time , Simply Superb Clicks and Recipes ...
    Very very tempting dishes...
    Keep on Rocking!!!! Will visit ur blog for trying out ur recipes

    Cheers
    Kiran Mary

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  22. Wow!! Wow!! awesome click and looks fabulously yummy!!!!

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  23. wow...thats so yum n very very tempting click!

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  24. OK must try this (a good change from the usual Pork vindalu and Sorpotel)

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  25. OMG the pork looks very saucy and syrupy... Slurrp Slurrp!!! Amazing pics!!!

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  26. terrific...looks great and now I have to wait for lent to be over to try it.

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  27. Hi Cicily

    First time here! You've a very beautiful blog!! The pictures are very tempting...

    All the best!

    Cheers
    Maria

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  28. Slurp!! mouthwatering sweet and sour pork!!. Great click...

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  29. Very colorful and tempting recipe, would love to try with chicken da:)

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  30. Not a big fan of cooking pork at home....but I guess this one is perfect if I decide to cook gravy kind...

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  31. I think the fate of evry newly wed couples is same back home :)
    I dont eat pork..so cant really comment :)

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  32. I can really really well on those post-marriage days but thankfully didn't have to wear as many ornaments as you :)
    I love pork and so this recipe is truly liked too.

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  33. Reminds me of my initial days after marriage ...

    Love anything with sweet and sour and this looks delicious

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  34. hum..Noyampukalaththu manushene pralobhikkan oronnum ayittu varunno?It looks so yummy.

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  35. nice pork recipe....and the newly wed time story!

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