WOK UNDERDOG: Hot Sweet Tomato & Chilli Jam Pork

Some dishes announce themselves as winners before the wok even gets hot.

Others sneak up on you.

This was one of those dishes.

I wasn’t entirely sure how adobo sauce and chilli jam would work together. On paper, they seemed to come from different worlds. One brings a savoury, tangy depth, while the other delivers sweetness and a touch of heat.

Yet somehow, when combined in the wok, they created something far greater than the sum of their parts.

The result?

Tender pork coated in a glossy sauce that delivered a delicious double act of sweet and heat.

This was another WOK Underdog.

A dish I didn’t expect to work quite as well as it did.

A reminder that some of the best recipes are discovered not by following the rules, but by being curious enough to break them.

Ingredients

• 400g pork, sliced into strips
• 2 tbsp adobo sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp dried coriander
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice
• A small dash of Naga chilli hot sauce
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp chilli jam
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce or tomato passata
• 1 tbsp cooking oil

Method

Step 1: Marinate the Pork

Place the pork into a bowl.

Add:

• Adobo sauce
• Soy sauce
• Coriander
• Chinese five spice
• Naga chilli sauce

Mix thoroughly until the pork is fully coated.

Cover and leave to marinate overnight or for several hours if possible.

Step 2: Heat the Wok

Heat the oil in a wok until hot.

Add the onions and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until softened.

Step 3: Cook the Pork

Add the marinated pork to the wok.

Stir-fry for 5-7 minutes until browned and nearly cooked through.

Listen for the sizzle as the marinade caramelises slightly around the meat.

Step 4: Create the Sauce

Add:

• Chilli jam
• Tomato sauce or passata

Stir well until everything is coated.

Cook for a further 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens and glazes the pork.

Step 5: Serve

Serve immediately with:

• Steamed rice
• Egg-fried rice
• Noodles

Home Chef’s Tip

The overnight marinade is the secret weapon here.

The adobo and soy help tenderise the pork, while the Chinese five spice and Naga chilli build layers of flavour. The chilli jam then ties everything together, creating a surprisingly successful sweet-and-spicy finish.

🔥 HEAR THE SIZZLE.
🍅 EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.
🌶️ SWEET. HEAT. HAPPINESS.

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