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Bowl of sweet and sour pork served over rice, featuring glossy, caramelized sauce-coated pork pieces with red, yellow, and green bell peppers and onions.

sweet and sour pork

Crispy fried pork tossed in a glossy sweet and sour pork and tangy sauce with pineapple, bell peppers, and onions — better than takeout and ready in under 40 minutes.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Rest Batter 10 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Crispy Pork:
  • 1.5 pounds Pork tenderloin or shoulder - Cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 cup All-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup Cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon Baking powder - Makes batter lighter
  • 1 whole - Egg
  • 0.75 cup Cold water - Creates crispy texture
  • Salt and pepper - To season pork
  • Vegetable oil - For deep frying
For the Sweet and Sour Sauce:
  • 0.75 cup White vinegar
  • 0.75 cup Sugar
  • 0.5 cup Ketchup
  • 3 tablespoon Soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoon Cornstarch - Mixed with equal water
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Ginger powder
  • 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil - Added at end for glossy finish Uncle Chen’s trick
For the Vegetables:
  • 1 cup Pineapple chunks - Fresh or canned drained
  • 1 whole Red bell pepper - Cut into chunks
  • 1 whole Green bell pepper - Cut into chunks
  • 1 small Onion - Cut into chunks
  • 2 cloves Garlic - Minced
  • 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil - For stir-frying

Equipment

  • 1 Large wok or deep skillet (For frying pork and vegetables)
  • 1 Medium saucepan (For cooking sauce)
  • 1 Slotted spoon or spider strainer (To remove pork from hot oil)
  • 1 Thermometer (For monitoring oil temperature)
  • 1 Mixing bowl (For batter preparation)
  • 1 Paper towel-lined tray (To drain fried pork)
  • 1 Whisk (For combining sauce ingredients

Method
 

  1. Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, egg, and cold water into a smooth batter; let rest 10 minutes.
  2. Dip seasoned pork cubes in batter and fry in 350°F oil until golden brown and crisp; drain on paper towels.
    Golden-brown battered meat pieces being deep-fried in hot oil, with chopsticks lifting one crispy piece from the bubbling pan.
  3. Combine vinegar, sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce; simmer, then add garlic, ginger, and cornstarch slurry until thick and glossy.
  4. Stir-fry onions, bell peppers, garlic, and pineapple until slightly softened and fragrant.
    Colorful stir-fry of red and green bell peppers, onions, and pineapple chunks cooking in a wok, releasing steam while being mixed with a wooden spoon.
  5. Add sauce and fried pork to vegetables; toss gently until evenly coated, and serve hot with steamed rice.
    Bowl of sweet and sour pork served over rice, featuring glossy, caramelized sauce-coated pork pieces with red, yellow, and green bell peppers and onions.

Nutrition

Serving: 320gCalories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 28gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 4.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 9.6gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 930mgPotassium: 650mgFiber: 2.5gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 850IUVitamin C: 48mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 2.3mg

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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