It's still disputed whether sweet-and-sour pork is an authentic Chinese dish or a Western invention. Either way, it's one of the nation's favourite dishes and tastes even better when you make your own at home.
Ingredients
- 450g pork fillet, cut into small cubes
- 1 tbsp rice wine
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 6 tbsp plain flour
- 2 medium free-range eggs, lightly beaten
- Sunflower oil, for deep-frying
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp groundnut oil
- 2 red peppers, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch spring onions, sliced
- Large handful bamboo shoots
- 400g can unsweetened pineapple chunks in juice, drained
For the sweet-and-sour sauce
- 3 tbsp cornflour
- 6 tbsp soft brown sugar
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 9 tbsp rice or white wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp tomato ketchup
Method
- 1. Place the pork in a bowl with the rice wine and soy sauce and set aside. To make the batter, sift the plain flour into a bowl, pour the eggs into the centre and beat until the mixture is smooth. Set aside.
- 2. Fill a pan to 5cm deep with sunflower oil and heat to 180°c, or until a cube of bread turns golden brown in 30 seconds. While the oil is heating, make the sweet-and-sour sauce. Put the cornflour in a small pan. Mix in 150ml water, the sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and ketchup and set over a low heat. Simmer gently, stirring, for 3 minutes until thickened.
- 3. Remove the pork from its marinade and discard the marinade. Put on a plate, dust with the cornflour, then mix into the batter. Fry the pork in the hot oil, in 2 batches, for 2-3 minutes per batch. When golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Keep the pan of oil over a medium-high heat.
- 4. Heat the groundnut oil in a non-stick frying pan or wok until sizzling hot. Add the red peppers and spring onions, stir-fry for a minute, then add the bamboo shoots and pineapple chunks, followed by the sweet-and-sour sauce.
- 5. Return all the pork to the hot oil for a further 2 minutes while you bring the sauce up to a boil. As soon as the sauce is bubbling, lift the pork out of the hot oil with a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper, then add to the sauce. Serve with steamed rice.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 640kcals, 25g fat (5g saturated), 32.7g protein, 74.9g carbs, 41.4g sugar, 3.5g salt
Chef's tip
Unlike with curry pastes, there really is no ready-made sweet-and-sour sauce to match a home-made version.
Wine Recommendation
A honeyed German white or French demi-sec Vouvray works brilliantly with the sweet sauce.