Fancy some sweet and sour pork? This is the recipe you’ll keep coming back to. Crispy cornflour-coated pork is tossed in a glossy, tangy sauce made from simple pantry staples, and is ready in under 30 minutes.
The sweet comes from the brown sugar and pineapple juice. Sour flavour comes from the vinegar. Together with the tomato sauce and soy sauce, they make a sticky sauce that sticks to every piece of the pork and vegetables. Don’t be scared to give this recipe a go. You can watch the video below to help you visualise the recipe and how it goes together.
A little story
Growing up, we would occasionally go out to a Chinese restaurants, and I would sit there watching all the different dishes come out the kitchen. Almost every table seemed to have sweet and sour pork or sweet and sour chicken. I thought maybe one day ill be able to cook sweet and sour pork at home, I always figured it would be hard to make, what can I say, I was definitely wrong. I was amazed that the chefs could carve the carrots into flowers, dragons and roses, these were techniques that I really wanted to learn. I have always had a interest in asian cookery. This sweet and sour pork recipe is my way of bringing that restaurant favourite home.
Sweet and sour pork is generally believed to have originated in Guangdong (Canton) in southern China, where it is known as gu lao rou. As Chinese families migrated around the world, many opened restaurants in their new countries, sharing the flavours of home and adapting dishes like this one to local tastes. That’s how sweet and sour pork became the favourite we know today.
Why you’ll love this sweet and sour pork
- Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside
- The sauce uses simple ingredients you probably already have
- Made at home in under 30 minutes
- Easy to adapt with your favourite vegetables
Ingredients
For the pork
- 300 gm pork, sliced
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 2/3 cup cornflour (cornstarch) (use 1/3 to coat the pork and 1/3 in the batter)
- 1/3 cup cold water
For the sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce (can use ketchup)
- 2/3 cup pineapple juice
For the slurry
- 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 2 tbsp cold water
For the vegetables (optional)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 4 rounds of pineapple slices (tinned)
- 4 spring onions (white and green separated) optional
- 1 brown or white onion (medium size) optional
- 1/2 a capsicum (bell pepper) (large size) optional
Oil for frying, you’ll need enough oil to fill a pan or wok to about 1 cm deep. (Vegetable works well)
How to make sweet and sour pork
Prepare the pork. Slice the pork into strips, place in a medium size bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the Garlic powder and onion powder. Place a 1/3 of a cup of cornflour over the pork. Mix to cover all the pork. Add 1/3 cup of water and the other 1/3 of a cup cornflour and mix.
Prepare the vegetables. Slice the pineapple rings into chunks try to get 8 chunks per ring. Slice the brown or white onion into chunks. Slice the capsicum into strips. Slice the spring onion into pieces around 1.5 cm long, separate the white and green part of the spring onion. This step is completely optional.
Prepare the sauce. In a bowl add brown sugar, vinegar, tomato sauce, soy sauce and pineapple juice, mix to combine.
Prepare the slurry. In a small bowl add cornflour and water then mix well.
Cook the pork. Heat the oil on you pan of choice to 165°C. Add pork to the hot oil in batches using tongs turn each piece of pork over and cook until golden brown. Place on a tray.
Cook the Veggies. Add 2 tbsp of oil to a pan once hot add onion and the white part of the spring onions cook for 2 minutes, Add capsicum cook for 30 seconds, add pineapple chunks.
Cook the Veggies. Add 2 tbsp of oil to a pan once hot add onion and the white part of the spring onions cook for 2 minutes, Add capsicum cook for 30 seconds, add pineapple chunks.
Sweet and Sour Pork. Add the pork to the sweet and sour sauce and stir once coated add the green parts of the spring onion to the pan. Cook for 1 minute and serve
Serve with your favourite side and Enjoy!
Tips for the best sweet and sour pork
- Cut the veggies in different angles. We do eat with our eyes first.
- Add the pork to the sauce right before serving so the pork stays crispy.
- You can use the same pan to cook sweet and sour pork, just pour the hot frying oil into a saucepan.
Like this recipe? Try these.
- Coca cola chicken wings – You wont believe how good they are until you’ve tried them.
- Chicken and sweet corn soup – Quick, easy and full of flavour.
- Hokkien Noodles – Basic but full to the brim with flavour.
- Sticky garlic lemon chicken – This is one of my go-to recipes.
- Simple fried rice – Perfect side dish for sweet and sour pork.
Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe: Crispy, Quick and Easy
Description
Crispy cornflour-coated pork tossed ina glossy sweet and sour sauce made with brown sugar, pineapple juice and vinegar. this easy homemade version is ready in under 30 minutes and tastes better than takeaway.
For the pork:
For the vegetables
For the sauce
For the slurry
Oil for frying, you'll need enough oil to fill a pan or wok to about 1 cm deep. (Vegetable works well)
Prepare the pork.
-
Slice the pork into strips, place in a medium size bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the Garlic powder and onion powder. Place a 1/3 of a cup of cornflour over the pork. Mix to cover all the pork.
-
Add 1/3 cup of water and the other 1/3 of a cup cornflour and mix. You have made the batter! set aside
Prepare the vegetables. This step is completley optional.
-
Slice the pineapple rings into chunks try to get 8 chunks per ring.
Slice the brown or white onion into chunks.
Slice the capsicum into strips.
Slice the spring onion into pieces around 1.5 cm long, separate the white and green part of the spring onion.
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Prepare the sauce.
In a bowl add brown sugar, vinegar, tomato sauce, soy sauce and pineapple juice, mix to combine.
Prepare the slurry.
-
In a small bowl add cornflour and water then mix well.
Cook the pork.
-
Heat the oil on you pan of choice to 165°C.
Add pork to the hot oil in batches using tongs turn each piece of pork over and cook until golden brown.
Place on a tray when golden brown.
Cook the Veggies.
-
Add 2 tbsp of oil to a pan once hot add onion and the white part of the spring onions cook for 2 minute.
Add capsicum cook for 30 seconds then add pineapple chunks.
Sweet and Sauce.
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Add the sweet and sour sauce to the stir fried veggies.
Let the sauce simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Add the cornflour slurry and stir so you don't get lumps.
Pork.
-
Add the pork to the sweet and sour sauce.
Stir. Once the pork is coated in the sauce, add the green parts of the spring onion to the pan. Cook for 1 minute and serve
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Serve with your favourite side and Enjoy!
Note
Tips for the best sweet and sour pork
- Cut the veggies in different angles. We do eat with our eyes first.
- Add the pork to the sauce right before serving so the pork stays crispy.
- You can use the same pan to cook sweet and sour pork, just pour the hot frying oil into a saucepan.
