Karen Wright: Sweet and sour mish-mash first meal in my new home

The beds were made and, after indulging in a delicious curry

delivered to us from the Bengal Palace in Wakefield, we were more than ready to collapse into them and relax.

The first meal that I made in my new, rather super-duper kitchen was a bit of a mish mash of ingredients, but it was loosely based on a sweet and sour.

Years ago, I would have used a jar of sauce, but I had enough things handy to make my own and this is what I did. I chopped up an onion and a red pepper and sautéed those in my cast iron pan with a little oil. Then I sliced up pork loins into thin strips and added those to the pan.

I mixed a tablespoon of tomato purée, some soy sauce, some white wine vinegar and the juice from a can of pineapple with a tablespoon of cornflower.

I added that and the pineapple chunks to the pan and bubbled it together to make a thick sauce. At this point I gave it a taste test and seasoned with a little Chinese five spice and some salt.

You can add anything you have, for example, mushrooms, carrot batons, baby corn, and peas. It is very much a throw it in the pot recipe.

I served ours with potato wedges as John is not fond of rice, but plain boiled rice is the best pairing in my opinion.

I am now almost completely unpacked; my photos and pictures are hung, and it is all beginning to feel like a ‘home sweet home’.

There are a few more items of furniture that I am scouting around the charity shops for, and I do want to replace the oven in the kitchen with my favourite brand but all things considered I think we have made a great decision moving to this location.

The neighbours have all been very welcoming and we have had lots of housewarming cards and gifts so I would say the months of uncertainty have been worth it and it is all looking set for a superb summer in our new abode.