NEXT LEVEL SWEET AND SOUR PORK

Recipe and photo: Rosemary Briggs
When the winter frost settles over the koppies and the Karoo wind starts biting, the kitchen becomes the warmest room in the house. Tonight, we skip the heavy stews and bring the ultimate comfort food to the table with this sweet and sour dish.
Pork neck is the absolute secret weapon here. The beautiful marbling keeps the meat incredibly juicy while the starchy coating fries up to a perfect, shatteringly crisp crunch. Paired with a vibrant, warming sauce, it’s exactly what you need to beat the winter chill.

• 600 g pork neck steaks, cut into generous, hearty chunks
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, the secret to ultra-tender meat
• 15 ml soy sauce
• 25 g corn starch or potato starch (3 tablespoons)
• oil for deep frying
• 1 large onion, cut into chunky wedges
• 1 small green bell pepper, cut into chunks
• few slices fresh pineapple, optional
• 1 tablespoon garlic and ginger paste
• 4-ingredient sauce:
• 60 ml white vinegar
• 50 g white sugar
• 60 ml tomato ketchup
• 15 ml soy sauce
• For that glossy thickness:
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 60 ml water
• Toss the pork chunks with the bicarb, soy sauce and starch in a bowl and let it marinate for 3 hours.
• This “velveting” technique ensures the meat will be incredibly tender.
• Heat the frying oil to medium-hot in a pan or pot on the stove top.
• Deep fry the pork pieces until deeply browned and crispy.
• Drain and set aside. Try not to eat them all straight from the rack.
• To make the sauce, in a small pot, bring the vinegar, sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce to a boil.
• Taste and adjust the sweet-to-sour balance to your liking, keep it warm.
• Mix the corn starch and water and set aside.
• Get a wok or large pan smoking hot with a splash of oil.
• Flash-fry the onion and pepper chunks so they stay sweet and crunchy.
• Add the garlic and ginger paste and stir for 30 seconds until the kitchen smells incredible.
• Toss the crispy pork into the pan with the veg and fry for 2 minutes.
• Pour the warm sauce over the meat mixture and toss to mix.
• Pour in the corn starch slurry and toss until the sauce transforms into a thick, sticky, glossy coat that clings to every piece of meat.
• Note:
• Serve this piping hot over a steaming bed of jasmine rice or thick noodles. It’s the perfect blend of sweet, sour and savory to warm you from the inside out.