Sweet and Sour Pork (just like a restaurant)
This classic dish features crispy pork bites coated in a sweet and tangy sauce, creating a delightful combination of flavours that’s easy to prepare and perfect for a satisfying meal. This is truly a tasty and comforting Chinese favourite that tastes exactly like you get in your local Chinese restaurant, but even better!
Equipment
- Wok or large frying pan
- Electric deep fryer or large saucepan
Ingredients
MARINATED PORK
- 500g pork scotch fillet or pork belly, cut into small bite size pieces (See Notes)
- 1 teaspoon chicken stock powder (See Notes)
- 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 Shoaxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
BATTER
- 1 cup self-raising flour
- ½ cup cornflour or potato starch
- Water
SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE
- ⅓ cup ketchup or tomato sauce
- ⅓ cup caster sugar (can use white or brown 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 (optional - See Notes)
- 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 pork with all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill until required, or up to 24 hours ahead of time. If you only have 10 minutes thats fine too, while you get the rest of the dish prepped.
BATTER
- Create batter by whisking together flour and cornflour. Add enough cold tap water until you get the consistency of thickened cream. You can use immediately or chill for a maximum of 1 hour.
SWEET & SOUR SAUCE
- Whisk all ingredients in a bowl until throughly combined. Set aside until ready to use.
DEEP FRY (1ST)
- Heat enough oil in a wok or saucepan to come one-third up the side over medium high heat until it reaches 180C. (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)
DEEP FRY (2ND)
- Reheat oil to 200C. Do a second fry on pork, in batches, for 1 minute 30 seconds or until golden brown and really crisp. Drain and set aside.
STIR FRY
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over high heat. Add the onion, capsicums and carrot and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until slightly softened. Pour in the prepared sweet and sour sauce and bring to boil. Once boiling, turn heat off and add all the fried pork and the pineapple pieces. Toss well to coat. Transfer to a serving platter or plates and serve immediately. Enjoy :)
Notes
- COOKS NOTES:
Oven Temps: Oven temperatures are for conventional, if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml & 1 cup = 250 ml.
Herbs: All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed.
Vegetables: All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified.
Eggs: We use extra-large size and eggs are 55-60 g each, unless specified. - PORK
The best cut of pork for making this dish is either pork scotch fillet (aka - pork neck) or pork belly, with the skin and any bones removed, for the best flavour and juiciest pork bites. The use of bicarb soda in the marinade is a Chinese tenderising secret also known as velveting which means the pork will remain juicy and the outside can get extra crisp.
Other pork cuts can be used such as tenderloin, pork loin steaks etc but because they are leaner, they will be more prone to drying out. The marinade will help counteract this though and if this is all you have, don't not cook this dish. Use it, it will still be delicious.. - CHICKEN STOCK POWDER
I use a Chinese style chicken stock powder called Knorr Chicken Powder which can be found in Asian grocers and even some large Coles supermarkets. It is the best for Chinese cookinig but your regular chicken stock powder with brands such as Continental or Massel is perfectly fine to use as well. - MSG
MSG, or monosodium glutamate, is a flavour enhancer that is commonly used in Chinese cooking, as well as in various cuisines around the world. It is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, an amino acid that occurs naturally in many foods. Here are some reasons why MSG is used in Chinese cooking:- Enhanced Umami Flavour: MSG is known for its ability to enhance the savoury or umami taste in foods. Umami is one of the five basic tastes (along with sweet, salty, bitter, and sour), and it contributes to the overall depth and richness of a dish. MSG intensifies the natural flavours of ingredients, making the food more delicious and satisfying.
- Balancing Flavours: MSG can help balance and round out the flavours in a dish. It is often used in small quantities to enhance the taste of other ingredients without imparting a specific flavour of its own.
- Culinary Tradition: MSG has been used in Chinese cooking for decades and is considered a traditional seasoning in many Asian cuisines. It is often used in conjunction with other umami-rich ingredients like soy sauce and oyster sauce.
- PINEAPPLE
I like to use the canned pineapple chunks in juice (not in syrup). If desired, you can also use fresh pineapple. If using fresh, omit the pineapple juice from the sweet and sour sauce so you don't need to source it. It will still taste great.
If using fresh though, add it to the wok at the same time as adding the vegetables rather than after to give it time to soften.