Jean's Sweet & Sour Pork
Submitted by digger
Sweet and sour pork the proper way: marinated pork cubes battered and deep-fried crisp, then tossed in a homemade sweet-sour sauce with peppers, carrots and lychees. Crunchy, glossy and far better than takeout.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
35 minREADY
1 hrsThis is sweet and sour pork done properly, the kind with shatteringly crisp pork that holds up to the glossy sauce instead of dissolving into mush. The secret is in the frying, and in keeping the two elements apart until the last possible moment.
The pork cubes first marinate in rice wine, soy and salt, then get coated in a simple egg-and-cornstarch batter and deep-fried in nearly smoking oil until golden and crunchy.
The sauce is built and balanced separately: tangy rice vinegar against sugar, soy for savor, tomato paste for color, and a cornstarch slurry to turn it glossy. Bell peppers, blanched carrot and scallions go in so they stay bright and crisp-tender, and lychees or mandarin oranges add a fruity, authentic sweetness.
Only at the very end do the fried pork and sauce meet, tossed together and served at once so the crust stays crisp. Pile it over steamed rice.
Chef Tips
- Get the oil nearly smoking before frying so the batter crisps fast and the pork doesn’t soak up grease.
- Combine the fried pork with the sauce at the very last moment and serve immediately, or the crisp coating turns soggy.
- Blanch the carrot first as directed. It’s too firm to soften in the quick final simmer otherwise.
Variations
- Use chicken or firm white fish in place of the pork.
- Add pineapple chunks along with or instead of the lychees.
- Skip deep-frying and pan-fry the battered pork in shallow oil for a lighter version.
Ingredients
Directions
CUT PORK INTO 1-INCH cubes; put into a bowl with the rice wine or sherry, soy sauce and salt.
Marinate for 20 minutes.
Cut the green and red peppers into 1-inch squares.
Peel and cut the carrot and scallions into 1-inch chunks.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the carrot in it for 4 minutes; drain and set aside.
Mix the egg and cornstarch in a bowl until they are well blended into a batter.
Lift the pork cubes out of the marinade, put them into the batter and coat each piece well.
Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or large wok until it is almost smoking.
Remove the pork pieces from the batter with a slotted spoon, and deep-fry them.
Drain the deep-fried pork cubes on paper towels.
Combine the chicken stock, soy sauce, salt, vinegar, sugar and tomato paste in a large saucepan.
Bring it to a boil. Add all the vegetables, but not the lychees or oranges, and stir well.
In a small bowl, blend together the cornstarch and water.
Stir this mixture into the sauce and bring it back to a boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer. Add lychees or oranges and pork cubes.
Mix well, and then turn the mixture onto a platter.
Serve at once.
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