Sweet and Sour Pork
This Crispy Sweet and Sour Pork delivers the ultimate Chinese takeout experience at home. Pork is marinated for juiciness, double-fried for unbeatable crispiness, and tossed in a classic sweet, tangy, and savoury sauce with veggies and pineapple. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
MARINATED PORK
- 600g pork scotch fillet, cut into small bite size pieces
- 1 teaspoon chicken stock powder
- ½ teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder
- ¾ teaspoon bicarbonate soda
- ½ teapsoon ground white pepper
- pinch of salt
- ½ teaspoon MSG, optional (see notes)
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons Chinese cooking wine
BATTER
- 1 cup self-raising flour
- ½ cup cornflour or potato starch
- 1 ⅓ cups soda water or water
SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE
- ⅓ cup ketchup or tomato sauce
- ⅓ cup caster sugar
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons pineapple juice (reserved from the can for the stir fry)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 ½ teaspoons cornflour
- 1 teaspoon MSG
- Few drops of red food colouring, optional
STIR FRY
- ½ large red onion, cut into large chunks
- ½ small red capsicum, cut into chunks
- ½ small green capsicum, cut into chunks
- 1 small carrot, cut into 2-3mm thick slices
- 227g can pineapple chunks in juice, drained (reserve the juice for the Sweet & Sour Sauce)
Instructions
- MARINATE PORK:Combine diced pork with all marinade ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes (or up to 24 hours).
- MAKE BATTER:Whisk flour and cornflour in a bowl to combine. Make a well in the centre, add the soda water or water and whisk until just combined. Don't overwork it, a few lumps are ok. This step is best done just before frying or it can also be covered and chilled for up to 1 hour maximum.
- SWEET & SOUR SAUCE:Whisk all ingredients in a bowl until throughly combined. Set aside until ready to use.
- FIRST FRY:Heat enough oil in a wok or saucepan to come one-third up the side over medium high heat until it reaches 160C. (alternately use an electric deep fryer according to manufactures instructions) Coat pork in batter, then drop one-by-one into hot oil in batches. Fry for 3 minutes or until golden. Drain on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining pork. (TIP: I use food safe gloves here to help reduce with messy hands. I use a new glove for every batch)
- SECOND FRY:Reheat oil to 180°C. Fry the pork batches again for 1-1.5 minutes until deeply golden and very crisp. Drain.
- STIR FRY:Heat 1 tbsp oil in a clean wok over high heat. Stir-fry onion, capsicum, and carrot for 1-2 minutes. Pour in sauce, bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
- COMBINE:Add the crispy pork and drained pineapple chunks. Toss vigorously to coat. Serve immediately with steamed rice or fried rice.
Notes
- Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml & 1 cup = 250 ml
- Pork: Pork scotch fillet (neck) is ideal for flavour and juiciness. Pork belly (skinless) is also excellent. Leaner cuts like tenderloin can dry out.
- Velveting Marinade: The bicarbonate soda (bicarb) is a Chinese technique called "velveting" that keeps the pork tender. Don't skip it.
- Chicken Stock Powder: For the most authentic flavour, use a Chinese-style chicken powder like Knorr. Regular chicken stock powder (e.g., Continental, Massel) also works perfectly.
- MSG (Optional): Monosodium glutamate is a traditional seasoning that adds a savoury umami depth. It can be omitted, but it's a key ingredient in many restaurant versions for that "moreish" taste.
- Double Frying: This is the secret to crispiness that lasts. The first fry cooks the pork, the second fry makes it crunchy.
- Equipment: A large, heavy saucepan or Dutch oven is perfect for deep frying. Fill it one-third full with oil. A cooking thermometer is highly recommended.
- Sauce: For a more vibrant colour, a few drops of red food colouring can be added to the sauce. This is optional but traditional.
- Serving: Serve immediately after combining with the sauce to preserve the pork's crisp texture.