Name: Lighter Sweet & sour pork
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 225g pork tenderloin; 1 carrot (140g), cut in approx 5cm long strips; 1 tbsp rapeseed oil plus 2 tsp; 2 garlic cloves finely chopped; 2 tsp finely chopped ginger; 3 spring onions ends trimmed, cut into long diagonal slices; ½ red pepper deseeded, cut into long thin strips; 200g long-grain rice cooked; 1 egg white; ¼ tsp Chinese five-spice powder; 1 tbsp cornflour; 1 ½ tsp self-raising flour; 1 tsp dark soy sauce; ½ tsp sesame oil; 1 tbsp Chinese white rice vinegar or cider vinegar; 2 tsp golden caster sugar; 1 tsp tomato purée; 1 tsp cornflour blended with 1 tsp water; 175ml vegetable bouillon made with 1⁄2 tsp powder (we used Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon)

225g pork tenderloin
1 carrot
(140g), cut in approx 5cm long strips
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
plus 2 tsp
2 garlic cloves
finely chopped
2 tsp finely chopped ginger
3 spring onions
ends trimmed, cut into long diagonal slices
½ red pepper
deseeded, cut into long thin strips
200g long-grain rice
cooked

For the batter

1 egg white
¼ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
1 tbsp cornflour
1 ½ tsp self-raising flour

For the sauce

1 tsp dark soy sauce
½ tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp Chinese white rice vinegar or cider vinegar
2 tsp golden caster sugar
1 tsp tomato purée
1 tsp cornflour
blended with 1 tsp water
175ml vegetable bouillon
made with 1⁄2 tsp powder (we used Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon)

Method

step 1
Cut the pork into 2-3cm cubes. In a medium bowl, make the batter. Beat the egg white lightly with a fork until slightly frothy, then beat in the five-spice powder, cornflour, flour and a good grinding of pepper until thick and smooth. Stir in the pork so that each piece is evenly coated, then set aside.
step 2
Now make the sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, tomato purée, cornflour blended with water, and the stock. Season with pepper and set aside. Blanch the carrot in a little boiling water for about 2 mins until tender but still crisp. Drain, then put under cold running water to stop the cooking. Drain again and set aside.
step 3
Pour the 1 tbsp rapeseed oil into a non-stick wok or large frying pan. When it’s very hot (test by dropping a piece of meat in – it should immediately sizzle), add the pork. Stir to separate all the pieces, then stir-fry for about 5 mins over a medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink inside when cut, and the outside is golden and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
step 4
Pour the remaining 2 tsp rapeseed oil into the wok and add the garlic, ginger, spring onions and pepper. Stir-fry for about 2 mins until starting to brown (still on quite a high heat). Pour in the sauce – it should immediately start to bubble rapidly – and stir in the carrot. As soon as the sauce has thickened slightly, about 30 secs-1 min, stir in the meat to quickly coat and heat through. Remove the pan from the heat, season with a pinch of salt and serve immediately, with the rice.