Tomorrow is my off...after 1 week, after a lot of hard work throughout the week..I deserve to get one week. Do you this is justified, as others doing less work[may be more paper work by sitting throughout the day]are getting two weekly offs??Perhaps no one can work hard as we do, behind the ranges or preparing for breakfasts etc.
As I wake up by 4 am every morning[my responsibility being of a Breakfast Chef, so I need to make sure my guests dont miss their breakfast..who thinks about me???], on off days, I am a bit relaxed..may be I will get up around 7 am in the morning & start off the day with a heavy breakfast...generally an omlette--of one egg & plain..or cheese sometimes, followed by a couple of chicken sausages & a big bowl of Bircher Muesli & finally my favorite masala tea with two butter cookies & then *socialising* with friends..obviously using the internet...n finally the cooking part...
Of late, I didn't have pork, as I was interested with fish, chicken but now the *hog* seems to beckon me. The advantage of pork being its natural thick lining of fat, which helps in basting[if you are roasting] or the taste of the pork is on its fat. However, you should not have too much of pork fat, as it stands one of the worst fats next after lamb fat-results in thick lining of fat around liver!!! Perhaps for this fat, our classical accompaniment for Roast Pork has been the tart Applesauce for ages...the tartness of the sauce, helps to cut down the fatty pork...
In India, pork is not cooked much except by Christians, few hindus & mostly by the residents of Christians in the small state of Goa. Most of the recipes in Goa are being rendered from the Portuguese influence[which dates back to 16th Century] whilst little could the French influence in Pondicherry or other states. The two famous dishes of Pork from Goa include--Pork Vindaloo & Sorpotel. Pork Vindaloo[originally Vindalho or Vindalhos] is a kind of pickled pork, with vinegar, mustard, red-chilli cooked & then refrigerated for about a week or so & then eaten. The taste--its fiery yet sour in taste. The pork chunks are marinated overnight with malt vinegar, ginger-garlic paste & an array of masalas & slowly cooked. Sorpotel is another recipe, with Portuguese influence, generally made of meat, its offals, livers especially & then thickened with pig's blood. Its again, fiery in taste & at the same time, sour!!
I remember when I was in Chola Sheraton, one of my favourite was "Sweet & Sour Pork"[prior to this, my favourite being Sweet & Sour Chicken, when I was in Kolkata]. Perhaps, an excellent contribution to the world by the Chinese Chefs of Canton[The dish being Cantonese], in which the sour & sweet taste takes care of the fat in the pork.I used to make note of Chef Peterchen making Sweet & Sour pork for his ala carte orders or sometimes the angry chef, Thomas Ho making it. But Peterchen[we used to call him lovingly as "Peetoooo"]used to make a better version. It seemed quite easy to me & thats what I am planning to cook tomorrow. But to mop up the sweet & sour sauce???Mix. Veg rice is easier to me, than the complicated noodles, unless someone is making it for me. Here goes a recipe of Sweet & Sour Pork...
Peterchen's Sweet & Sour Pork
Ingredients:
Pork- 300 gm [boneless or pork chops cut into cubes]
Cornstarch-25 gm
Egg-2
Ginger-10 gm[chopped]
Garlic-20 gm[chopped]
Ketchup-50 ml
Soy Sauce- 15 ml
Vinegar- 20 ml
Pineapple- 100 gm[canned ones, unless u r sure that the fruit is sweet in the market]
Pepper & Salt- As required
Sugar-20 gm
Green Bell Pepper-50 gm[dices]
Onion- 75 gm[dices]
Tomatoes-50 gm[wedges]
Cucumber- 50 gm[ wedges]
Oil-100 ml
Method:
1. Make a batter of cornstarch with seasonings & eggs. Coat the pork & deep fry them. Strain the oil & reserve 40 ml for use.
2. Start with garlic-ginger in the oil & followed by onion, bell-pepper,cucumber, tomatoes & then add in the fried pork. Give it a good stir & then start adding in the sauces/condiments. Add water if required & cook till done.
3. Reduce the sauce if required, as the sauce should be thick pouring--or the way you want.
[why chef peterchen used to put tomatoes & cucumber I don't know. Never asked this question to him--simply followed him blindly!!!]
Activities post lunch???Perhaps sleeping like the *hog*, after having the *hog*, as my ex-colleague Bimal used to tell me....
Happy Cooking.... :)
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