Source: chatgpt

Pork shoulder is actually a very good choice for sweet and sour pork (咕噜肉). It has enough fat to keep the meat juicy, but because it contains some connective tissue, the key is to cut it correctly, tenderise it first, then marinate before coating and frying.

For your 2.7 kg of pork shoulder, I'll give you a Chinese restaurant-style recipe with crispy outside and tender, juicy meat inside.

🌟1. Prepare And Tendorise the Pork 🌟 Important 

Ingredients for tenderising: 

Ingredients:

Pork shoulder 2.7 kg

Baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) 2 tsp

Water 6 tbsp

I recommend using a small amount of baking soda to help soften the meat.

Method:

1.Remove any very tough sinew, but leave some fat for juiciness.

2.Cut pork into approximately 3–4 cm cubes, cutting across the grain where possible.

3.Dissolve 2 tsp baking soda in 6 tbsp water.

4.Mix thoroughly into the pork, massaging for 1–2 minutes.

5.Leave for 20–25 minutes in the fridge.

6.Rinse thoroughly under cold running water.

7.Drain well and pat dry with paper towels.

Important: Don't leave the baking soda on too long, otherwise the pork can develop an unusual texture

🌟2. Marinade ingredients 

Ingredients:

Light soy sauce 5 tbsp

Oyster sauce 3 tbsp

Shaoxing cooking wine 4 tbsp

Sugar 2 tbsp

White pepper 1½ tsp

Garlic (minced) 5 cloves

Ginger (grated) 2 tbsp

Egg 3

Cornflour 5 tbsp

Sesame oil 2 tbsp

Method:

1.Mix all marinade ingredients together.

2.Add pork and massage until every piece is coated.

3.Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

4.Ideally marinate overnight (up to 12 hours).

The egg and cornflour help the coating stick to the pork and give it a lovely texture.

Recommendation for your pork: 

1. Divide into three portions of 900 g each.

2. Put each portion into a separate freezer-safe zip-lock bag.

3. Squeeze out excess air.

4. Flatten the bags so the pork is spread evenly.

5. Label with the date and weight.

5. Refrigerate one portion and freeze the other two.

Important: Since your marinade contains raw eggs, keep the pork refrigerated at 4°C or below. Don't leave it sitting at room temperature.

One additional tip: Put the bags inside a tray in the fridge in case any marinade leaks. 😊

🌟3. Crispy coating

Ingredients:

Tapioca starch 100 g

Cornflour 70 g

Plain flour 30 g

Baking powder ½ tsp

Salt ¼ tsp

White pepper ¼ tsp

Tapioca starch gives a lovely light, crunchy coating, while cornflour helps create that crispy Chinese restaurant-style crust.

This gives you a nice balance of crispiness and crunch.

Method: 

Coating the pork

1.Take your marinated pork out of the fridge.

2.If there is a lot of liquid at the bottom, drain off the excess. Don't wash the marinade off.

3.Mix all the dry coating ingredients in a large bowl.

4.Add pork pieces in batches.

5.Toss and press the starch mixture onto each piece.

6.Shake off excess coating.

7.Place on a tray and leave for 5–10 minutes.

The coating should look slightly rough and craggy rather than smooth. That's what gives you the lovely crispy texture.

Double-frying technique

Stage / Temperature / Time

First fry / 165–170°C / 4–5 minutes

Rest /  3–5 minutes

Second fry / 185–190°C / 1–2 minutes

Method: 

1.Fry in small batches so the oil temperature doesn't drop too much.

2.For safety, make sure the pork reaches at least 63°C internally with a 3-minute rest; cook thoroughly, checking the largest pieces.

First fry: 

Little tips for extra crispiness: 

- Don't add water to the dry coating.

- Don't overcrowd the frying pot.

- Use a wire rack rather than paper towels if possible.

- Don't mix the fried pork into the sweet and sour sauce until just before serving.

One more thing: Because your marinade already contains eggs and cornflour, you don't need another egg or wet batter. The dry starch coating is sufficient.

I think the tapioca starch will give you a particularly nice crunchy texture! 😊

Mix cornflour with 2 tbsp cold water.

Slowly pour the cornflour slurry into the sauce while stirring.

Cook until glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Add your crispy fried pork just before serving and toss quickly.

Adjusting the taste

If the sauce is... What to add

Too sour 1 tbsp sugar

Too sweet 1 tbsp vinegar

Too thick A little water

Too thin A little more cornflour slurry

Not tangy enough A little more vinegar

My recommendation

For your family, I'd start with the recipe as written, but hold back about 15 g of the sugar initially. Taste it after simmering and add more if needed.

Important: Keep the sauce separate from the fried pork until everyone is ready to eat. This preserves the crispy tapioca coating.

You'll get lovely golden, crunchy pork with a glossy sweet and sour sauce, just like at a Chinese restaurant! 😊

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Eggs, soy sauce, sugar and vinegar are enough to make a simple sweet Japanese-style sushi egg (tamagoyaki). 

You don't need mirin or sake.

🍳 Easy Sushi Egg / Tamagoyaki

Ingredients: 

3 eggs

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp vinegar

1 tbsp water

A little oil for the pan

Method:

1. Crack the eggs into a bowl and gently whisk. Try not to make too many bubbles.

2. Add sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and water. Mix well.

3. Heat a non-stick frying pan over low to medium-low heat. Lightly oil it.

4. Pour in a thin layer of egg mixture.

5. When the bottom is set but the top is still slightly wet, gently roll the egg into a log from one side to the other.

6. Push the roll to one side of the pan. Add another thin layer of egg, lifting the existing roll slightly so the new egg goes underneath it.

7. Once set, roll the existing egg over the new layer.

8. Repeat until all the mixture is used.

9. Let it cool for a few minutes, then slice.

If you're putting it inside sushi rolls: I'd make it a little sweeter. Use 1½ tbsp sugar instead of 1 tbsp.

💡 No need for vinegar if you don't want it.

Traditional tamagoyaki doesn't require vinegar, and too much can make the egg taste slightly sharp. If you have salt, you can add just a tiny pinch instead.

If you tell me whether you're making sushi rolls, nigiri, or just the egg to eat with rice, I can give you the easiest version for that.

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To buy:

Japanese cube (8 cube)

Ingredients: 

1 pack Japanese cube standard size (to buy)

5 onions or less 

4 medium Carrot (to buy)

Half 2 kg Potatoes (to buy 4kg bag)

2 big Chicken breasts

Add water 

5 cups of rice

20 mins pressure cook 

Pressure Start 

Instructions: 

Pour everything in big hyo pot

Add water to same level as ingredients 

Add 

Makes

10 containers

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 Source: https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/basic-scones/12d869d1-2ac9-44ae-a88d-11354729fcb5

Ingredients: 

1. Plain flour, for dusting

2. 3 cups self raising flour

3. 80g butter, chilled and cubed

4. 1-1 1/4 cups milk

5. Jam, to serve

6. Whipped cream, to serve 

Instructions: 

• Step 1
  Preheat oven to 200°C. Sift self-raising flour into a large bowl.
• Step 2
  Using your fingertips, rub butter into flour until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Step 3
  Make a well in the centre. Add 1 cup of milk. Mix with a flat-bladed knife until mixture forms a soft dough, adding more milk if required. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently until smooth (don't knead dough too much or scones will be tough).
• Step 4
  Lightly dust a flat baking tray with plain flour.
• Step 5
  Pat dough into a 2cm-thick round. Using a 5cm (diameter) round cutter, cut out 12 rounds. Press dough together and cut out remaining 4 rounds. Place scones onto prepared baking tray, 1cm apart. Sprinkle tops with a little plain flour. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and well risen. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm with jam and cream (Whipped cream, to serve).

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Source: Lynwood Senior High School Year 7 Home Economics Class

(Note, you can choose between Serving for 2 or Serving for 3 below)

Ingredients: 

Serving 3                                                                   Serving 2

120g steak                                                                   80g steak

1 clove garlic                                                              1 small clove garlic or ½ large

2 spring onions                                                           1 ½ spring onions

1/3 capsicum                                                               ¼ capsicum

1/3 carrot                                                                    ¼ carrot

6 champignons                                                            4 champignons

75g bean sprouts                                                         50 g bean sprouts

1 ½ sticks celery                                                         1 stick celery

120g  fresh egg noodles                                              80 g fresh egg noodles

1 ½ T oil                                                                     1 T oil

3t soy sauce                                                                2 t soy sauce

2 t oyster sauce                                                           1 ½ t oyster sauce

Instructions: 

1. Thinly slice steak into strips.
2. Crush garlic and slice spring onions into rings.  Cut capsicum, carrot and celery into Chinese style vegetables.  Cut the champignons in half.

3. Pre heat a frypan or wok.  Add the oil and heat through.
4. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.  Add the steak and allow to brown.
5. Add the carrot and capsicum and stir fry for 5 minutes.
6. Add remaining vegetables, noodles and sauces and stir fry for a further 2 - 3 minutes or until heated through.

7. Serve hot.

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Source: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/easy-tiramisu/

Ingredients: 

▢357 g heavy whipping cream

▢226.8 g container mascarpone cheese ,room temperature

▢66.67 g granulated sugar

▢4 g vanilla extract

▢354.88 g cold espresso

▢45 g coffee flavored liqueur ,optional (Kahlua or DaVinci brands)

▢1 package Lady Fingers ,Savoiardi brand can be found in the cookie aisle at your local grocery store, or online

▢Cocoa powder for dusting the top

Instructions: 

1. Add whipping cream to a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed with electric mixers (or use a stand mixer). Slowly add sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until stiff peaks. Add mascarpone cheese and fold in until combined. Set aside.

2. Add coffee and liqueur to a shallow bowl. Dip the lady fingers in the coffee (Don't soak them--just quickly dip them on both sides to get them wet) and lay them in a single layer on the bottom of an 8x8'' or similar size pan. 

3. Smooth half of the mascarpone mixture over the top. Add another layer of dipped lady fingers. Smooth remaining mascarpone cream over the top.

4. Dust cocoa powder generously over the top (I use a fine mesh strainer to do this). Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or up to overnight before serving.

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Source: https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/pav-bhaji-recipe-how-to-make-pav-bhaji-step-by-step-pictures/

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 Source: https://www.recipetineats.com/sweet-and-sour-pork/

Ingredients: 

TENDERISED MARINATED PORK:

• ▢400g/14oz pork scotch roast (aka pork neck, collar butt) or shoulder / butt, cut into 2cm / 4/5" cubes (Note 1)
• ▢1/2 onion , finely grated (Note 2a)
• ▢1 tsp garlic , finely grated (Note 2a)
• ▢1 tsp ginger , finely grated (Note 2a)
• ▢3/8 tsp baking soda (bi-carb) (Note 2b)
• ▢2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch
• ▢2 tbsp light soy sauce , or all purpose (Note 3)

FOR FRYING:

• ▢5 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch - for mixing in
• ▢1/2 cup cornflour/cornstarch - for Coating
• ▢2 - 3 cups vegetable or canola oil

SWEET & SOUR SAUCE:

• ▢1/3 cup white sugar
• ▢1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (or 1/4 cup normal white vinegar)
• ▢3 tbsp pineapple juice (from a 227g/8oz can pineapple pieces in juice, preferably no added sugar, Note 4)
• ▢3 tbsp ketchup (or Aussie tomato sauce)
• ▢1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ▢1 tbsp soy sauce , light
• ▢1 tsp Oyster Sauce (Note 5)
• ▢4 tsp cornflour/corn starch
• ▢1/2 cup water

STIR FRYING:

• ▢1 tbsp oil
• ▢1 garlic clove , finely chopped
• ▢2 tsp ginger , finely chopped
• ▢1 onion (medium), cut into 2.5cm/ 1" cubes (brown, white, yellow)
• ▢1/2 red capsicum/bell pepper (large), cut into 2.5cm / 1" cubes
• ▢1/2 green capsicum/bell pepper (large), cut into 2.5cm / 1" cubes
• ▢1 cup pineapple pieces (from the can of pineapple under Sauce)

Instructions: 

MARINADE PORK:

• Mix Pork with Marinade. Marinade 18 to 24 hours. (See Note 1 for marinating time for other cuts)

PREPARATION:

• Rack & warm oven: Preheat oven to 80°C/175°F and place rack on tray - to keep pork warm.
• Sauce: Place all Sauce ingredients EXCEPT water in a large jug or small bowl. Mix until combined, then mix in water.
• Be Stir Fry Ready: Have all ingredients lined up, ready to toss in. After Fry #2, things move quickly.

DOUBLE DREDGE:

• Coating #1: Mix 5 tablespoons cornflour into the pork and leave for 5 minutes. At first, it will be white from the cornflour, but after a while it will sweat and make the cornflour (mostly / partially) wet, and will be sticky (this is key for coating to stick).
• Coating #2: Spread 1/2 cup cornflour in a shallow bowl. Coat pork, shaking off excess, and pile onto a plate.
• Reserve cornflour in case you need to dust again just prior to frying. Pork should be at least half white when you put it into the oil (if not, just sprinkle with reserved cornflour).

FRIED CRISPY PORK (NOTE 6 FOR OVEN):

• Heat oil: Pour enough oil into a large saucepan or small pot so it's 2.5cm / 1" deep. Heat to 180°C/350°F (or until pork immediately starts sizzling when you dip it in).
• Fry #1: Cook pork in batches, being sure not to crowd the pot, for 3 minutes until golden. Drain on rack. This step is just to cook the pork. It takes me 4 batches.
• Fry #2: Turn the stove up slightly and heat oil to 200°C/390°F. Starting with the coolest pork, add half the pork (you can crowd the pot) and cook for 1 1/2 minutes, or until pork is deep golden brown and crispy. Transfer to rack, repeat with remaining pork - I do 2 batches.
• Keep warm in oven.

SAUCE & STIR FRY:

• Heat oil in a very large skillet over high heat.
• Add garlic, ginger and onion, stir for 1 1/2 minutes. Add capsicum and stir for 2 minutes.
• Add Sauce & pinapple, then let it come to a rapid simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes until it thickens - when you drag the spoon across the base, a path should briefly appear (see video at 1 min 53 s).
• 10 second toss: Add pork, then QUICKLY toss to coat - aim for 10 seconds!
• Serve asap! Pour onto serving plate, serve immediately! Will stay crispy for around 5 minutes then starts softening but still has a solid coating. This is just the reality of Sweet and Sour Pork, even at restaurants!

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 Source: https://www.chinasichuanfood.com/black-sesame-pastesoup/

Ingredients: 

• 150 g black sesame seeds
• 70 g glutinous rice or glutinous rice flour
• sugar , to taste
• 4 to 5 cups of water , you can adjust the water amount accordingly

Instructions: 

• In a small pan, stir fry black sesame seeds over slow fire until fragrant. Keep stirring the seeds. Remove from heat and cool down.

Direct version

• Soak sticky rice overnight. Place black sesame seeds, sticky rice and water into a blender. Blend until really smooth.
• Boil the mixture and add sugar to taste. 

Instant version

• In a small pan, stir fry the glutinous rice flour over slow fire until slightly brown. Keep stirring the flour. Remove from heat and cool down.
• Pour the black sesame seeds to a grinder and grind into powder. Mix with glutinous rice flour. If you plan to make a larger amount at one time, keep the mixture in an air-tight container.
• To serve: pour around 6 times boiling hot water of the powder mixture, add sugar and cover with lid for around 2 to 3 minutes. Mix well and serve hot! Surely you can adjust the amount of water according to personal preference.

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