Sweet and Sour Pork

The sauce ingredients listed below bear testament to a colonial heritage. I believe this
recipe was adapted by a Hainanese chef. These chefs—largely working behind the stoves
of private colonial clubs, homes of British civil servants and kitchens of army barracks—
pioneered the art of marrying British food products like HP Sauce with Chinese ingredients.

You can also substitute the 300 g or 10½ ounces of pork with the same amount of fish
fillet or 600 g or 1 pound 5½ ounces of large prawns. In this instance, leave the sodium
bicarbonate and water out of the marinade.

makes 12 servings

300 g or 10½ ounces pork (shoulder)
¼ teaspoon sodium bicarbonate
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 egg yolk
½ tablespoon cornflour

6 cups oil for frying, preferably
peanut oil*

Cornflour for dredging

sauce

4 tablespoons sugar
1½ teaspoons salt
10 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sesame oil
4 tablespoons tomato ketchup

1 tablespoon Lea & Perrins
Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon A1 Steak Sauce or HP Sauce
1½ to 2 tablespoons vinegar

½ tablespoon chilli sauce, preferably
Lingham’s

slurry

1½ tablespoon cornflour
2 tablespoons water

garnish

1 large onion, skinned and cut
into wedges

3 stalks spring onions (scallions),
discard white portion, cut into
2.5 cm or 1 inch pieces

1 red chilli, seeded and cut into shreds

1 cucumber, skinned and cored,
sliced finely

1 tomato, cut into wedges

* Peanut oil (Asian brand) imparts
a nice flavour. It also has a high smoke point
and is especially suitable for deep-frying.

1.   Cut the pork into 2.5 cm or 1 inch cubes and marinate
in the sodium bicarbonate, salt, sugar, water and egg yolk.
Sprinkle the ½ tablespoon of cornflour and mix well to coat.
Leave aside for at least 15 minutes.

2.   Prepare the sauce by combining all the sauce
ingredients. Prepare the slurry separately and set aside.

3.   Heat a deep Dutch oven or wok and add the oil.
Dredge the marinated pork in the cornflour and deep-
fry until lightly golden and crispy, turning once over
halfway through. Remove and transfer to a tray lined
with absorbent paper.

4.   Fry the pork a second time for crispiness. Transfer
to a serving dish.

5.   Remove the oil, leaving only 2 tablespoons of it.
Stir-fry the onion wedges. Pour in the sauce, bring to a boil
and then lower heat to simmer. Add the slurry a bit at a
time to thicken sauce. Pour the sauce over the fried pork
and garnish with spring onions, red chilli, cucumber and
tomato. Serve immediately.

158    Growing Up in a Nonya Kitchen ~ Life of the Party