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Sweet and Sour Pork

Sweet and Sour Pork recipe

This is a much more traditional version of Sweet and Sour than the Anglicised bright Orange version we’re familiar with from Chinese takeaways.

Protein Ingredient:-

Pork Loin, cut into strips with the fat removed

Marinade Ingredients:-

2 Tbsp of Shaoxing Wine
½ a Tsp of Salt

Sauce Ingredients:-

¼ Tsp of Salt
4 Tsp of Cornflour
3 Tbsp of Sugar
2 Tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp of Soy Sauce (Gluten free works fine)
3 Spring Onions, green parts chopped
3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
200ml of Chicken Stock
1 Tsp of Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp of Sesame Seeds
2 Tsp of fresh Ginger, grated
½ a Red Pepper, sliced
Oil to fry

Batter Ingredients:-

2 Eggs, beaten
70g of Cornflour
Salt & Pepper to season

Method:-

(1) Place the Pork strips on a bowl with the Salt and Shaoxing Wine. Cover with cling film and pop in the fridge for 30 minutes.
(2) For the Sauce combine the Soy Sauce, Cornflour, Salt, Sugar and Vinegar in a bowl.
(3) In another bowl add the Egg, Cornflour and Salt & Pepper. Whisk you form a thick batter.
(4) Dunk the Pork in the butter in batches and ensure that it is fully coated.
(5) Fry in batches at 160c for about 3 minutes and drain on kitchen paper.
(6) Increase the heat to 180c and re-fry until crisp and golden.
(7) Heat the Oil in a frying pan and add the Garlic, Ginger and Red Pepper. Cook until fragrant.
(8) Add the Stock and bring to the boil.
(9) Add the Sauce and stir briskly until it thickens.
(10) Add the Spring Onions and stir in.
(11) Add the Pork to the Sauce.
(12) Serve over boiled Rice, garnished with sliced Spring Onions and Sesame seeds.

We really enjoyed this version. It’s easy to see how the English / Chinese rendition evolved from something similar.

 

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Balti Chicken & Spinach Pie

The recipe for the Gluten Free Shortcrust Pastry is here. We actually ended up with three very hearty pies. One is in the freezer for work snacks!

Ingredients for the filling:-

1 Thumb sized lump of Ginger, grated
6 Cloves of Garlic, minced
2 Chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 Tin of Tomatoes
1 Tsp of Garam Masala
1 Tsp of Cumin
1 Tsp of Turmeric
1 Tsp of Chilli Powder
2 Tbsp of Yogurt
1 Tsp of Mustard Seeds
1 Bay Leaf
1 Onion, finely diced
1 Green Pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 Tbsp of Lime Juice
A handful of chopped leaves
200g of Spinach
Salt & Pepper
1 Egg, beaten with a little milk for the Egg wash
Oil to fry

Method:-

(1) In a bowl blend the Tomatoes and stir in the Spices & Yogurt.
(2) In a large frying pan add a little Oil and fry the Mustard Seeds until they start to pop.
(3) Add the Onion and Bay Leaf and stir until the Onion has softened.
(4) Add the Garlic, /ginger and Chilli.
(5) Stir for 2 minutes over a medium heat.
(6) Add the Chicken, stirring and slightly increase the heat.
(7) Add the Tomato mixture and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
(8) Stir in the Spinach and simmer for 2 minutes.
(9) Add a few grinds of Black Pepper and the Lime juice.
(10) Stir in the Coriander and remove the Bay Leaf.
(11) Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
(12) Line Pie tins with Pastry and fill each with the Balti mix.
(13) Lay Pastry over the top and seal with a fork around the edges.
(14) Brush with Egg wash and sprinkle with a few Mustard Seeds.
(15) Place in a preheated over at 180c for 20 to 30 minutes, until the pastry is cooked and slightly browned.

Both the pastry and the Balti filling were really good. Perhaps not a traditional combination, but we enjoyed it!

 

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Gluten Free shortcrust Pastry

We’ve tried various shortcrust pastry recipes over the years with varying degrees of success. This has to be the best so far.

The flour mix makes 1kg, so you won’t need all of it unless you are cooking of 20 folk. But it will keep well in a sealed box.

Gluten Free Flour Mix:-

Ingredients:-

700g of White Rice Flour
200g of Potato Flour
100g of Tapioca Flour

Method:-

(1) Mix everything together.
(2) Store what you don’t need in an air tight box.

Pastry Mix

Ingredients:-

225g of Gluten free Flour Mix (See above)
A pinch of Baking Powder (Gluten free)
1 Tsp of Xanthan Gum
2 Pinches of Salt
110g of Margarine
1 Medium Egg, beaten
Cold Water

Method:-

(1) In a large bowl add the Flour mix, Baking Powder, Xanthan Gum and Salt.
(2) Rub in the Margarine until it resembles breadcrumbs.
(3) Stir in the Egg.
Add the Water a little at a time and knead thoroughly until soft.
(4) Roll out and use.

 

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Dry Cured Bacon recipe, eat well on universal credit

I chose Pork Loin for this as the belly Pork available at the moment is very fatty and doesn’t look overly appealing. So the end result will be Back Bacon. You need to be pretty precise when using Saltpetre so I reduced to weight to almost exactly 1Kg by taking the rind off and cutting a couple of steaks from one end so that we’ll be able to cut even rasters when it has cured.

Rub ingredients:-

22.5g of Pink Salt
22.5g of Sugar
2G of Saltpetre
1 Tsp of Smoked Paprika
1 Tsp of mixed Herbs
1 Tsp of fresh ground Black Pepper.

Method:-

(1) Trim the Pork Loin to as near to 1Kg as possible.
(2) Mix the rub ingredients in a bowl.
(3) Apply the rub evenly over the entire surface.
(4) Place in a tub in the fridge loosely covered.
(5) Turn daily for 3 weeks.

As the meat cures it will loose about 10% of the water content. This accumulates in the tub and will naturally evaporate in the fridge.

See you all in 3 weeks, hopefully with some outstanding Bacon!

 

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Bombay Chicken Pot Roast recipe, eat well on universal credit

This was supposed to be a medium Chicken, but I came across two Poussin adorned with yellow stickers. We really like them when we can get hold of them as there’s considerably more meat to cavity ratio. Also they are really tender and take on flavours well.

Ingredients for the Tikka Mix:-

1 Tbsp of Olive Oil
3 Cloved of Garlic, minced
1 Tsp of fresh grated Ginger
1 Tbsp of Garam Masala
Juice of ½ Lime
2 Tsp of Chilli Powder
2 Tsp of Ground Cumin
1 Tsp of Paprika
1 Tbp of dried Coriander
1 Tsp of Salt
1 Tsp of Turmeric
½ Tsp of Fenugreek
¼ Tsp of Cayenne Pepper
¼ Tsp of Black Pepper
1 Red Pepper, chopped

Main Ingredients:-

2 Poussin
2 Tbsp Tikka Mix
2 Tbsp of Yogurt
1 Onion, quartered
3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
A thumb nail sized bit of fresh Ginger, grated
2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
1 Tsp of Cumin
1 Tsp of Ground Coriander
1 Tin of chopped Tomatoes
300ml of Chicken Stock
200g of Potatoes, chopped
1 pack of Kalettes
100g of Spinach Leaves
Salt & Pepper to season

Method:-

(1) Mix the dry curry paste ingredients with the yogurt and rub all over the Chicken.
(2) Set aside in the fridge for 30 minutes or overnight.
(3) Blitz the Onion, Garlic and Ginger in a food processor to a chunky paste.
(4) Heat the Oil in a Dutch Oven or heavy based oven proof pan.
(5) Gently fry the paste for 5 minutes.
(6) Stir in the Cumin and Ground Coriander and cook for a further minute.
(7) Pour over the Stock and Tomatoes.
(8) Season with Salt & Pepper.
(9) Add the Potatoes, then out the Chicken on top.
(10) Roast uncovered for 20 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 200c.
(11) reduce the heat to 160c and baste the Chicken with the sauce.
(12) Cover and cook for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until the Chicken is cooked through.
(13) Transfer the Chicken to a plate and cover with foil.
(14) Add the greens to the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.
(15) Add the Spinach and cook for a further 2 minutes.
(16) Return the Chicken to the pot and garnish with fresh Coriander leaves.
(17) Serve and enjoy.


 

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Indian fried Fish

We’re trying to avoid all the general Take Away Indian recipes and go for some slightly unusual ones. As 2/3 on the Indian sub-continent is surrounded by sea it’s not unrealistic for us to find quite a few Fish recipes.

Fish dressing ingredients:-

2 Fish Fillets with the skin on. We used Cod
1 Tsp of Turmeric
½ Tsp of Chilli Powder
1 Tsp of fresh Ginger, grated
1 Tsp of Lemon Juice
1 Tsp of ground Coriander
1 Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp of Olive Oil
½ Tsp of Asafoetida
½ Tsp of Salt

Coating Ingredients:-

4 Tbsp of Gram Flour
1 Tsp of Rice Flour
½ Tsp of Salt
½ Tsp of Turmeric
1 Tsp of Garam Masala
1 Egg, beaten
Oil to fry

Method:-

(1) Combine the Turmeric, Chilli Powder, Ginger, Lemon Juice, Ground Coriander. Cumin, Salt and Asafoetida in a bowl.
(2) Dry the Fish with kitchen roll and swear both sides with the spice mix.
(3) Set aside for 15 minutes to allow the fish to take on the flavours.
(4) Combine the dry ingredients for the coating.
(5) Heat the Oil in a large frying pan.
(6) Dip the Fish in the Egg and then cost in the spiced flour fix.
(7) Fry the Fish for 3 minutes then turn over and fry for a further 2 minutes.
(8) Drain of kitchen paper before serving.

Obviously we have to distort this recipe dreadfully and add chips, dips, foraged Pine Bolete Bhaji and an Indian style Colslaw…...
 

  1. Indian spiced Pork Chops
  2. A sort of Carbonara thing
  3. Bombay Potatoes
  4. Karahi

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