Ingredients
500 g (about 1 lb) vegetable oil, 400 g (about 14 oz) pork fatback, 50 g (about 2 large) eggs.
Seasonings
100 g white sugar, 25 g (about 3 tablespoons) pea starch.
Instructions
1. Scrape and wash the pork fatback clean, boil it in a pot of boiling water until cooked through, remove and discard the skin, let it cool, then cut into strips about 4 cm long and 1 cm wide and thick. Rinse with boiling water to remove excess grease, then pat dry with a hot towel. Beat the eggs and mix with dry bean starch to form an egg batter, then add the meat strips to the batter and stir to coat evenly.
2. Place a wok over high heat, add vegetable oil and heat to 120°C (about 250°F). Fry the pork strips one by one until set, then remove. When the oil temperature rises to about 150°C (300°F), return the strips to the wok and fry until golden brown and crispy on the outside. Remove and drain the oil.
3. Clean the wok, place it over heat, add water and sugar, and cook until the syrup forms large bubbles. Remove the wok from the heat, add the fried pork strips, and continuously stir with a small spatula to evenly coat them with syrup. Transfer to a plate and let cool before serving. This dish is golden in color, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, rich yet not greasy.