Sweet And Sour Pork Recipe

Prepare pork

Trim excess fat from the pork and cut into 1-inch bite-sized pieces. Pat the pieces dry with paper towels.

Season pork pieces with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Let sit 10 minutes to marinate.

In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup cornstarch, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, and 1/2 tsp baking powder. In a separate small bowl, beat 1 egg with 1/2 cup cold water. Combine wet into dry to make a thick batter; it should coat but not be runny. Adjust with a little more cornstarch or water if needed.

Heat 3 to 4 cups vegetable oil in a deep skillet or wok to 350°F (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, test with a small amount of batter — it should sizzle and rise immediately.

Working in batches (don’t overcrowd), dip pork pieces into the batter to coat completely, then carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 4–5 minutes per batch depending on piece size. Remove with a slotted spoon to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain. Keep warm and repeat with remaining pork.

While pork is frying, prepare vegetables: cut green pepper, optional second bell pepper, onion, and carrot as directed. Drain pineapple chunks if using canned but reserve 1/4 cup juice for the sauce.

In a large skillet or wok (after removing most oil used for frying and wiping clean), add 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add carrot slices and stir-fry 2 minutes until they begin to soften.

Add onion and bell peppers and stir-fry 2–3 minutes more until vegetables are tender-crisp. Add pineapple chunks and stir to combine; cook 1 minute more. Push vegetables to the side of the pan or remove to a plate if your pan is small, then proceed to make the sauce in the same pan.

In a bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup rice or white vinegar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 1/4 cup pineapple juice until sugar dissolves and mixture is smooth.

Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water to form a slurry; set aside.

Pour the sauce mixture into the hot skillet with the vegetables over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring.

Once simmering, stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 1–2 minutes until sauce thickens and becomes glossy. If using, stir in 1/2 tsp sesame oil for aroma. Taste and adjust seasoning — add a pinch of salt or a little more sugar or vinegar to balance sweetness and acidity if needed.

Return the fried pork to the skillet and toss gently to coat each piece with sauce and combine with vegetables and pineapple. Heat together 1–2 minutes so pork rehits and sauce clings.

Transfer sweet and sour pork to a serving platter. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if using.

Serve immediately with steamed white rice or fried rice.