Sour Fried Pork Cutlets (Taiwanese Hong Zao Zha Zhu Pai)

These pan-fried pork cutlets take their pleasantly sour flavour from hong zao, a reddish fermented rice paste.

3 Tbsp. hong zao paste
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. mushroom powder
4 (4 oz) pork chops, boneless, trimmed and pounded to ¼" thickness
½ cup coarsely ground sweet potato starch or panko
1 cup Canola oil

Combine hong zao paste, sugar and mushroom powder in a medium bowl. Put pork into a baking dish and smear with the marinade; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to overnight.

Put sweet potato starch on a plate and dredge pork, shaking off excess. Heat ½ cup oil in a 12" nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add two pieces of pork to skillet and cook, turning once, until golden brown and crispy, 3-4 minutes. Transfer pork to a rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Wipe out skillet and repeat with remaining oil and pork. To serve, cut the pork into strips and transfer to a platter.

Makes 4 servings.