We don’t get takeaways that often, being an hour from town, but on the odd occasion that I pick it up on my way home from work on a Friday night when I really can’t be bothered cooking, it’s usually Chinese, and it’s always sweet & sour pork. Seeing as we have a freezer full of pork, I figured it made sense to try and make the sauce that we love so much.
You can buy it in a jar which makes for a seriously easy and quick meal but as you know I am trying so hard to stop relying on jars and the nasties in them! Although the jars do come in super handy for bottling stuff.
This homemade sauce is a huge improvement on the sauce in the jars. And it is just as quick to make, considering the fact that I usually spend a good 10 minutes trying to get the lid off the jar. That’s why I keep Josh around.
Measure the cornflour into a medium sized saucepan.
Add the sugar and whisk together
Next add the vinegar, oil, soy sauce & water. Use white wine vinegar if you have it, but if you’re like me you’ll realise you don’t have enough white wine vinegar when it’s already too late and have to use malt vinegar to top it up.
Whisk it all together and don’t be put off by how weird and tan coloured it looks. It’ll get better. Promise.
Cook over a medium-high heat until it starts to bubble and thicken up. At this point it will magically turn a beautiful dark golden brown colour. Much nicer.
Get a little out on a spoon, blow on it, and have a taste. Now it’s up to you to decide if it’s sweet or sour enough. Add more sugar if it’s not sweet enough, and more vinegar if you like it a little more sour. You can also add a little more water if it’s too thick.
In a frying pan, brown your pork or chicken pieces, meatballs or just whatever else you want to have with your sauce, and pour it over.
At this point, PLEASE add some veges. Because while brown is delicious, it’s just not pretty. So make it colourful. And eat your greens. And oranges. Today’s life lesson from the country girl.
And whatever you are having with your sauce, be sure to serve with white rice, because there is nothing better to soak up all that delicious sauce.
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