Cantonese Gu Lou Yuk with Pineapple

Method

1. Cut the pork into 2.5 cm cubes and tap both sides lightly with the back of a knife to loosen the fibers. Massage in the salt, marinade sugar, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and white pepper until fully absorbed, then mix in the yolk and leave for 20 minutes.

   Add in this stepPork shoulder (or collar) 250 gSalt 2 pinchSugar for the marinade ½ tspLight soy sauce for the marinade 1 tspShaoxing wine 1 tspWhite pepper 1 pinchEgg yolk 1

2. Cut the pineapple, bell pepper and onion into 2.5 cm pieces to match the pork and slice the garlic. In a small bowl mix the ketchup, plum sauce, Worcestershire, sugar, vinegar and pineapple juice. In another cup stir the cornstarch with 1 tbsp water.

   Add in this stepKetchup 2 tbspChinese plum sauce 1 tbspWorcestershire sauce 1 tspSugar 2 tbspRice vinegar 2½ tbspPineapple juice (from the can, or water) 60 mlCornstarch for the sauce 1 tsp

3. Roll the pork in the potato starch, squeeze each piece in your fist to press the coating on, spread on a plate and leave for 10 min. When the starch looks damp, roll the pieces through the remaining starch again and shake off the excess. This double coating gives the bumpy, crunchy crust.

   Add in this stepPotato starch 70 g

4. Fill a 20 cm ×2 pot with peanut oil at least 3 cm deep, but never more than a third of the pot's height (×2 or ×3 is the number of batches). Heat over medium-high heat for 8 min to 160°C (fine bubbles rise slowly from a wooden chopstick). Hold at medium heat and lower the pork in piece by piece, away from you; fry 8 min in total to cook it through. Lift onto a rack and rest 2 minutes.

   Add in this stepPeanut oil for frying (or vegetable oil) 1,000 ml

   medium-high heat→medium heat

5. Turn up to high heat and bring the oil to 190°C. Dip the bell pepper and onion in a sieve into the oil for just 10 seconds to brighten them, lift out, then refry the pork in the same batches, 1 min 30 sec in total, until deep golden with a hard, crisp shell.

   Add in this stepBell pepper (red and green) ½Onion ½

   high heat

6. Leave 1 tbsp of frying oil in a 26 cm wok, sizzle the garlic over medium heat until fragrant, pour in the sauce and bubble for 2 min. When the bubbles grow large, stir in the cornstarch mixture and keep stirring until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

   Add in this stepGarlic cloves, sliced 1

   medium heat

7. Add the pork, vegetables and pineapple all at once and toss over high heat for 30 sec, shaking the wok. Finish with 1 tsp of hot frying oil swirled in for shine and serve at once.

   Add in this stepPineapple (fresh or canned) 120 g

   high heat