Sweet and Sour Pork

LR Beckwith's Note:

This recipe was given to my wife in Seattle by a friend. My wife told her, I don't read chinese so her daughter translated it for us. It's authentic and it's delicious. LR Beckwith

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1 lb pork tenderloin
• 2 green peppers
• 4 slices pineapple (or 1 cup Cantonese pickles)
• 6 cups peanut oil (6 cups)

Marinate Pork

• ½ teaspoon salt (to marinate pork)
• ½ tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 1 egg yolk

Sauce

• 3 tablespoons vinegar (Seasoning Sauce)
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons tomato catsup
• 4 tablespoons cold water
• 3 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions:

1. Pound pork with the back of a cleaver (this is to tenderize the pork), and then cut into 1-inch squares.
2. Soak with marinade for at least half an hour.
3. Cut green pepper into halves, remove seeds and membrane, and cut into 1" squares.
4. Next cut 4 slices of pineapple into the same size squares.
5. Set aside.
6. Heat 6 cups oil.
7. While oil is heating, coat each piece of pork in cornstarch.
8. When oil is ready, fry pork until brown and done (about 2 minutes), take out, reheat oil then fry once more until crispy.
9. Remove pork and drain off oil from frying pan.
10. Put back into frying pan 2 T.
11. of oil; fry the green pepper and pineapple, stirring constantly.
12. Add the seasoning sauce continuing to stir fry, until thickened.
13. Turn off the heat.
14. Add the pork, mix well and serve immediately.
15. Serve over rice!

Reviews

[BHENG D.]

The purpose of the cornstarch in the marinade is to seal in the juices of the meat when frying or stir frying at high heat. Aside for what is already in marinade ingredients, you can also add sherry or rice wine. That is the basic marinade for any type of meat in chinese cooking. Although I did not try this recipe , I could tell that this is pretty much very close to auhtentic sweet and sour recipe. Cornstarch is also use in thickening the sauce. If I will make this recipe, I will cut down on the amount of vinegar and cornstarch that was on sauce. Also for the vegetables you can add sweet onions cut in chunks and carrots (cut thinly) plus green peppers and pineapples. Good luck to you all and happy eating.

[Chef #403641]

I noticed how two people were confused by the cornstarch being listed in the marinade... I just wanted to tell you that cornstarch is a common marinade ingredient in chinese cooking and gives the meat a velvety texture so I am certain that the original poster of this recipe meant to add cornstarch to the marinade and then dredge the meat again in more cornstarch. This recipe was simple and tasty.

[Carol43953]

The whole family loved this recipe! I used the 1 T. corstarch for the marinade and ended up using 3 T for the sause. I threw about 1/2 cup c.s. into a container to coat the pork in batches before frying. I used rice wine vinegar where the recipe called for water and also added cubed sweet onion. I usually buy about a 5 lb pork loin and will now have to remember to cut a portion off to use for this recipe in the future! Thanks for sharing this WONDERFUL recipe!