Sweet and Sour Chinese Pork

Indulge in the classic flavors of sweet and sour pork with this easy-to-follow Chinese recipe. Perfectly fried pork cubes are coated in a tangy sauce made with pineapple juice, tomato paste, and brown sugar, and mixed with colorful vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, and onions. This dish is sure to become a family favorite, served over rice or noodles for a complete meal. Try it tonight and experience a taste of authentic Chinese cuisine right at home!

Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 788 kcal/serving
Servings: 4
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Nutrition: 17 g Protein / 47 g Fat / 74 g Carbs

Ingredients for 4 Servings

• 250 g (9 oz) pork fillet
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 250 g (9 oz) pineapple
• 125 g (4.5 oz) flour
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1.5 tbsp baking powder
• 5 tbsp brown sugar
• 125 ml (4.2 fl oz) white wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 tbsp tomato paste
• 5 tbsp pineapple juice
• 1 bell pepper

Instructions

Prepare the Batter:

1. Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch, flour, and baking powder in a bowl.
2. Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil and 1–2 tbsp water to create a thick batter.

Prepare the Pork:

1. Rinse the pork fillet, pat dry, and cut into cubes.
2. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a deep saucepan until very hot.
3. Dip each pork cube into the batter and fry in batches in the hot oil for 4–5 minutes per batch.
4. Transfer the fried pork to paper towels using a slotted spoon to drain excess oil.

Prepare the Vegetables:

1. Peel the onion and carrot.
2. Remove the seeds from the bell pepper.
3. Cut the bell pepper, carrot, and pineapple into small pieces.
4. Finely chop the onion and garlic.

Cook the Vegetables:

1. Pour out all but 1 tbsp of oil from the saucepan.
2. Return the pan to the heat and sauté the onion, bell pepper, pineapple, and carrot for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl.

Make the Sauce:

1. Mix brown sugar, remaining cornstarch, vinegar, garlic, tomato paste, and pineapple juice in a bowl.
2. Pour the mixture into the saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook for 1 minute until the sauce thickens.

Combine and Serve:

1. Add the fried pork and sautéed vegetables back into the saucepan with the sauce.
2. Stir and heat everything together for 1–2 minutes until well combined and heated through.
3. Serve with rice or noodles.

Bon appetit!