Description
Easy Sweet and Sour Pork is a classic Chinese-style main course featuring crispy fried pork tossed in a tangy, glossy sweet and sour sauce with bell peppers, onions, and pineapple. Ready in just 35 minutes, it offers a balanced combination of savory, sweet, and acidic flavors and is perfect served over fluffy jasmine rice.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Pork
- 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) pork scotch fillet (pork butt), cut into bite-sized pieces (2 cm/3/4 inch) (see note 1 for other pork cuts)
- 1 tbsp all-purpose soy sauce
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 1 tsp freshly minced ginger
- 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) (see note 2)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt flakes
- 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup (60 g) cornflour (cornstarch)
- Oil, for frying (see note 3)
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp all-purpose soy sauce
- 1/4 cup (55 g) brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) pineapple juice (from the can of pineapple, see below)
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) tomato ketchup
Stir-fry
- 1 brown onion, diced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 red capsicum (bell pepper), diced
- 1 green capsicum (bell pepper), diced
- 1/2 cup (95 g) canned pineapple chunks in juice, drained, juice reserved (see note 4)
To Serve
- Jasmine rice
- White sesame seeds
Instructions
- Marinate the pork: Add the pork, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and pepper to a bowl. Mix thoroughly to combine, ensuring all the pork is coated evenly. Let the pork marinate for up to 15 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Make the sweet and sour sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the cornflour and water until smooth. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, pineapple juice, vinegar, and ketchup. Stir well until all ingredients are combined. Set aside.
- Coat and fry the pork: Add the egg and cornflour to the marinated pork. Use tongs to toss and coat the pork pieces thoroughly. The mixture will be sticky and form a light batter around the pork. In a large, deep, heavy-based frying pan, heat enough oil over medium heat for shallow frying. Fry the pork in batches for 5–6 minutes until golden brown, crispy, and cooked through. Remove cooked pork and drain on paper towels.
- Stir-fry the vegetables: Carefully pour the excess oil out of the pan. Over medium-high heat, add the diced brown and red onions, and both red and green capsicums. Stir-fry for 1–2 minutes until the vegetables are slightly charred but still crisp.
- Add the sauce: Pour the prepared sweet and sour sauce into the pan with the vegetables. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glossy consistency similar to runny honey. If it becomes too thick, add a tablespoon of water at a time until you reach your desired consistency; if too thin, cook further on high heat.
- Finish and serve: Return the crispy pork pieces and pineapple chunks to the pan. Stir well to evenly coat everything in the sauce. Serve immediately with jasmine rice and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Notes
- You can use pork tenderloin or pork loin as an alternative cut for a leaner option (see note 1).
- Adding bicarbonate of soda helps to tenderize the pork (see note 2).
- Vegetable oil is recommended for frying due to its high smoke point (see note 3).
- Reserve the pineapple juice from the canned pineapple for use in the sauce (see note 4).
- Fry the pork in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, which helps maintain crispiness (see note 5).
- For gluten-free, make sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce and cornflour.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (approx. 350g with rice)
- Calories: 495
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 1080mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 133mg
