Pineapple and leftover Christmas ham

New Idea’s Chinese Cookbook, 194 Recipes from Prawn Toast to Peking Duck, Melbourne 1970s

Sweet and Sour Ham Balls

500g cooked ham; 1 egg; 1 small onion, coarsely chopped; ¼ small green pepper, coarsely chopped; 2 tblspn oil

Sauce: 1 small can pineapple cubes; 2 tblspn vinegar; 1 tblspn brown sugar; 2 tblspn cornflour; 1 tspn mustard powder; ½ tspn salt; 250ml (1 cup) water; ¾ small green pepper, cut in 1 cm squares; 6 shallots, thinly sliced

This dish is prepared very quickly with a blender.

Cut ham into cubes and feed on to the revolving blades off a blender, through the hole in the lid. Continue until blender is a third full of finely minced ham then transfer to a mixing bowl. Continue until all ham is minced.

Place egg, coarsely chopped onion and green pepper in blender and mix until very finely chopped.

Add egg mixture to ham and mix well. Shape and roll ham mixture into 12 balls in cold floured hands. Chill in refrigerator to firm and then reshape into neat balls.

Heat oil in a heavy frying pan or wok and fry ham balls until browned on all sides, turning occasionally. Drain well and keep hot.

Meanwhile, mix the drained pineapple juice, half the pineapple cubes, vinegar, sugar, cornflour, mustard and salt together in the blender for 15 seconds.

Pour water into frying pan and stir over heat to dissolve pan sediments. Add mixture from blender and bring to the boil, stirring continuously.

Blanch green pepper squares and julienne carrots in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain well.

Add blanched green pepper and carrot and remaining pineapple cubes to sauce and heat through.

To serve, pour sweet and sour sauce over ham balls and sprinkle shallots on top. Delicious served with boiled rice.

Serves 3-4 as a main course, 6 Chinese style.