How to make sweet and sour pork – recipe | food
SThe sweet and sour sauce, which hails from the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou and is popular in neighboring Hong Kong, has been a victim of its own popularity – you can now buy sweet and sour flavored noodles, chips and even dips. But, when prepared with care, the crunchy meat, tangy sauce and sweet fruit will remind you why you liked it in the first place.
Preparatory school 20 minutes
soak 30 minutes+
He cooks 10 minutes
serves 2
For marinade
200 grams of pork or lean shoulder
1 clove of garlic
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wineOr dry sherry
½ teaspoon salt
A quarter teaspoon of Chinese spice powder (optional)
To cook
1 onionpeeler
1 green pepperAnd the discarded stem, seeds and pulp
1 fine red pepper
1 egg
60 grams of corn flourplus an additional layer
Neutral oilFor frying
100 grams of pineapple pieces
For the sauce
2 tablespoons apricot jam -The lower the sugar, the better
1 tablespoon cranberry sauce – Ditto
Juice of 1 lemon or good lemon juice
25-40 grams of fine light brown sugar
2½ tablespoon Chinese red vinegarOr rice vinegar
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon corn flourOr potato starch
1 Pork substitutes
I chose to make this using pork (spare ribs also work well, if you don’t mind a bone, and if possible, ask your butcher to cut them), but chicken thighs or breasts, chunks of firm white fish or firm tofu would also work well. Anything that can be ground or fried without releasing too much water is a safe bet.
2 Marinate the meat
Cut the pork into slices about 1 cm wide, then peel and crush the garlic. Place both in a bowl, mix with the soybeans, rice wine, salt and five-spice powder (if using), cover and let marinate for at least 30 minutes (cover and refrigerate if you’re leaving it longer).
3 Mix the sauce
While the pork is sitting, prepare the sauce by stirring the preserves, then adding the citrus juice and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then mix in the vinegar, soybeans and 90ml of water. Season to taste, and add more sugar, if you like. Use another small bowl to stir the cornmeal into a teaspoon of cold water.
4 pieces of vegetables
Cut the onions and peppers into chunky diamond pieces, separating the onion layers as you go. Cut the hot pepper into rings. If you like, add other vegetables to the mix as well (tenderstem or mangetout would be good); Just make sure you slice it thin enough to sauté without overcooking the other ingredients.
5 Prepare the dough
Beat the egg in a bowl, then gradually mix in 60 grams of corn flour until you get a smooth dough, then season. Place more cornmeal on a plate, then place the pot and plate near the stove. Add another tablespoon of cornmeal to the seasoned pork, and stir to coat the meat.
6 Heat the oil
Pour enough neutral oil into a large frying pan, frying pan or frying pan to fill it by a third, then heat it to 180°C (digital thermometers are cheaper than oil and will ensure you get good results). Once the oil is almost up to temperature, dredge the pork in the mixture, shake off any excess and roll it in a cornmeal dish to cover.
7 Fry the pork
Fry the pork in the hot oil for three minutes, until golden (it will be fried again later, so don’t get too dark at this stage or you will overcook the pork), then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Keep the oil warm over low heat while preparing the sauce.
8 Cook the sauce
Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a frying pan until smoking, then sauté the onions, peppers and hot peppers until tender. Add the sauce mixture and leave until it boils, then add the cornflour and water mixture and cook until the mixture thickens. Add the pineapple, reduce the heat to low, and keep warm.
9 finishing touches
Heat the same pork oil to 190°C and fry the meat again, this time for just 30 seconds, until golden brown. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the sauce. Raise the temperature, stir the ingredients until mixed, then place them in a plate. Serve with egg fried rice and maybe something fresh and green.