Modern Sweet and Sour Pork

This Donna Hay interpretation of the classic Sweet and Sour Pork is a winner, a few more steps but it elevates the dish to new heights of flavour.  Interesting how useful pickled onions can be, both in this dish and I also use for onion rings.

Ingredients

2 cups of shaoxing (Chinese cooking wine)
2 cups of unsweetened pineapple juice
4 cm piece of ginger, sliced thinly
4 cloves of garlic crushed
1.5 kg pork belly (Preferably Australian)
440 g pickled white onions
Dried Pineapple to serve (I never had any on hand and still tasted delicious)

Sweet and Sour Sauce
3 green shallots, trimmed and halved
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
4 cm piece of ginger, sliced thinly
3 cups of unsweetened pineapple juice
1 cup white caster sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon black vinegar (I used cider)
1/3 cup shaoxing
2 teaspoons tomato paste

Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
Combine shaoxing, pineapple juice, ginger and garlic in a deep sided roasting dish.
Add pork skin side up and cover with aluminium foil and roast for 2 hours or until the pork is tender.
Line an oven tray with non stick baking paper.
Take pork from dish, discard cooking liquid and place skin side down on oven tray. Cover with another sheet of non stick baking paper.  Weigh down the pork by placing 3 cans of food or a heavy saucepan on top and refrigerate for 1 hour or until cold.

Now make the sweet and sour sauce.
Place the sliced pickled onions (I used about half the jar), garlic, ginger, pineapple juice, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, shaoxing and tomato paste in a large saucepan over high heat.
Stir to dissolve the sugar and once to the boil, reduce to a simmer.
Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until syrupy.
Strain and set aside.

Heat a heavy based frying pan.
Slice the pork belly into 6 pieces.
Cook skin side down for 4 - 6 minutes or until golden and crisp.
Place on the side and cook until warmed through, repeat on other side.
Cook for 10 minutes until all is golden and warmed through.

Add the pickled onions to the sauce.

Drizzle the amazing sauce over the sliced pork, and garnish with slices of dried pineapple (if using).

Taste Sensation!

Mamma Marmalade.