This fabulously simple Chinese pork with potatoes recipe has so few ingredients it is hard to believe it could be so tasty! Using very lean meat and cooking the potatoes from raw in the liquid both add to the flavour of the sauce. If you fancy a little heat, add some fresh sliced chillies. And try a fried egg on top - Singapore-style! serves 4

• 500 lean pork, diced

• 2 medium brown onions, thinly sliced

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

• 5 cloves garlic, crushed

• thumb-sized piece of ginger cut into 4 slices

• pinch white pepper

• 3 tbsp dark soy sauce

• 2 tbsp jaggery/palm sugar/dark sugar

• optional chillies, sliced

• 250g new or salad potatoes, cut into small chunks

1. Heat the oil in a casserole and fry the ginger and garlic until golden.

2. Add the meat and fry until browned on all sides.

3. Stir in the pepper, soy sauce, sugar, onions and optional chillies and enough water to cover everything.

4. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about 40 minutes.

5. Add the potatoes and simmer until they are cooked and the sauce is reduced, adding a little more water if you want it runnier.

6. Serve with rice and a green vegetable such as pak choi on the side.

Cook’s notes

• White pepper is more common than black in chinese cooking, but you can use either.

• Not frying the onions at the start, as you might expect to do, seems to add extra sweetness to the dish.

• Use firm potatoes which will not disintegrate whilst cooking.