I still remember my first ever Chinese food experience 😂 Coming from the country, living on a farm, in a place where some of you might consider the middle of know where 😂 Chinese, Italian, Indians even Pizzas were never on the menu. It was always meat spuds and veg! Proper Irish Mammy dinners 🙌 Which, after all are the best really aren't they 😋 Plus there was no place that would deliver to our home, in one way looking back now, this was probably a good thing 😂
I can't remember how old I was but I know I must of been in Primary School and was on a day out in Dublin with my friend and her family who decided on a Chinese Restaurant for dinner, shocked I'm sure when I told them I had never been before but even back then the young foodie inside me was so excited 🙌 Not a clue what to order I went with sweet and sour chicken balls which Im presuming was recommended as a safe choice for my first time.
LOVE AT FIRST BITE ❤️
My God from then on I was hooked (unfortunately 😂) Obviously been so young I didn't have the opportunity to afford and eat it whenever I wanted but as I grew up, got pocket money and eventually my first job any chance of a take out it had to be Sweet and Sour Chicken balls or else a 3 in 1 but with Sweet and Sour sauce and not the usual Curry people go for! Upgraded of course to a 4 in 1 when I could afford it 😂 For a year if not longer, ok definitely longer, I'd say it was rare I'd go a weekend without a Chinese, later of course experimenting with different orders but sweet and sour was my first love.
Now a days I wouldn't touch a Chinese 😂 I'm all for Thai Food 🙌 I'm sure most of us can admit as tasty and all as it can be the majority of the time it makes you feel like a bag of 💩 🤣So as well as remembering my first ever one I remember my last a bit too clearley 😷 After discovering my food intolerances a few years back, Chinese was off limits but for months I refused to listen and still had one now and again (Be grand sure 🤣) ! Until it all came to blows and I ended up violently ill (we won't go into details) after a hangover fuelled order from a new place that had just opened up. That was November 2015, how sad is that I still remember the date 🤣 I don't miss it now as that experience completely turned me off but ill still give any Fakeaway a shot and after seeing loads of people creating Sweet and Sour dishes over the last few years it was time I got experimenting myself 🙌
This one is garunteed not to make you violently or feeling like a bag of 💩 I promise 🤣 It worked a treat and here's the how 👇
Sweet and Sour Pork - Serves 4
⭐500g lean pork mince ⭐Lots of veggies⭐300ml Zero Club Orange⭐150ml Passata⭐1 Chicken/Veg Stock Cube⭐1/2 tsp Chinese 5 Spice⭐2 Tblsp Liquid aminos/Soy sauce⭐1 Tblspoon Worcester Sauce⭐3 Tblsp Vinegar (distilled/white/rice)⭐ Pineapple Chunks🍍In a pot bring the Passata, Orange and stock cube to a boil and leave simmer. It will thicken as it simmers but will take minimum 10mins to do so so get this started first⭐ On your pan/wok fry off your veggies and add in your pork mince followed by the Chinese 5 Spice ⭐ Back to the sauce add in all other liquids and continue to simmer until meat and veggies are cooked through ⭐ Pour the sauce over them in the pan and give everything a really good stir, simmer the lot together and again this will thicken up the sauce more if needed ⭐ Stir through Pineapple for last few mins of cooking and serve with rice, homemade chips, noodles, whatever you fancy 🙌
I had Pork Mince that I wanted to use as I'd never tried it out before and it was so tasty in this but no doubt chicken would work perfectly too or just load up in the veggies for a meat free option 🍠🍆🍅
As always I love to see you all re create my recipes and it makes my day hearing the feedback so let me know if you try it and what you think 🙌
Tip - Buy an XL Club Zero so you can sip the leftovers while you cook 😉
Chinese Cravings sorted Beauts 🙌
Any questions on ingredient swaps etc just shout 🤙
PS 👉 While making this I didn't think it was going to be going up onto the blog, that along with the fact I was hangry at the time is the reason why the pictures are awful 🤣 Just needed a quick snap before it was inhaled so don't leave them put you off I promise is fab 😋
Happy Cooking
Pops x
