Sweet and Sour Pork
User Reviews
4.6
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Total Time
20 mins
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Servings
2 people
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Calories
399 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
Sweet and Sour Pork
Description
To prepare Sweet and Sour Pork, pork tenderloin is cut into bite-sized pieces and marinated briefly with soy sauce, cornstarch, and rice wine. It is then coated with a frying batter made of flour, cornstarch, baking soda, egg, water, oil, and salt to create a mixture that fries crisp and airy.
The pork pieces are deep-fried in hot oil until golden brown and crisp, with care taken to not overcrowd the oil for even frying. Separately, garlic, bell peppers, scallions, and pineapple pieces are stir-fried to the point where the peppers are crisp-tender and fragrant. A sweet and sour sauce is prepared with a combination of tomato ketchup, plum sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, water, and cornstarch, thickened until it coats the ingredients.
Finally, the fried pork is combined with the vegetables and sauce, tossed briefly to maintain crispness and a coating of the tangy glaze. This dish is usually served hot with steamed rice, making it a flavorful and texturally engaging meal.
The crispy batter protects the pork from becoming soggy in the sauce, preserving the contrast between crunchy and tender. Attention to oil temperature and batch frying is essential for the best texture.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb (250g) pork tenderloin cut into bite size pieces
- 1/2 green bell pepper cut into pieces
- 1/2 red bell pepper cut into pieces
- 2 talks scallions only the white part, cut into 2 inch (5cm) length
- 1 piece pineapple ring fresh/canned, cut into small pieces
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
- neutral cooking oil for frying, generic cooking oil
Marinade:
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon rice wine
Frying Batter:
- 2 oz. (60g) all-purpose flour
- 1 oz. (30g) cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 egg
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 1 pinch salt
Sweet and Sour Sauce:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
- 1 teaspoon plum sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon rice vinegar transparent in color, Chinese
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce Lea & Perrins
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Cut the pork tenderloin into pieces and marinate with the Marinade ingredients for 15–20 minutes.
- Mix the Sweet and Sour Sauce ingredients well, and set aside.
- Strain the dry ingredients for the Frying Batter, then add the egg, water, and cooking oil to form a thick batter. Once the pork is well-marinated, transfer the pieces into the batter and ensure they are well coated.
- In a deep skillet, add enough cooking oil for deep frying. Once the oil is hot, deep fry the pork pieces until they turn golden brown. Remove them and drain on paper towels.
- Heat up a wok and add some cooking oil. Add the chopped garlic and stir fry until light brown, then add the bell peppers and pineapple pieces. Stir fry until you can smell the peppery aroma from the peppers, then add the sweet and sour sauce.
- As soon as the sauce thickens, transfer the pork into the wok and stir well to coat with the sauce. Add the chopped scallions, give it a few quick stirs, then dish out and serve hot with steamed white rice.
Notes
- A crisp, airy frying batter is essential to keep pork pieces crunchy after stir-frying with sauce.
- Ensure the frying oil is hot before adding pork; test by dropping a bit of batter to see if it bubbles vigorously.
- Fry pork in batches to avoid overcrowding, allowing even cooking and crispness.
- Maintain a balance in sauce thickness—it should coat the pork without becoming gloopy; add water to adjust if necessary.
- Cook bell peppers and pineapple until just tender and crisp to preserve their flavor and texture.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 2people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 399 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 2people | |
| Calories | 399kcal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 52g | 17% |
| Protein | 29g | 58% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 115mg | 38% |
| Sodium | 762mg | 32% |
| Potassium | 739mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 1297IU | 26% |
| Vitamin C | 68mg | 76% |
| Calcium | 46mg | 5% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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