Chinese Sweet and Sour Pork (Kubaro)
5 servings
60 minutes
Sweet and sour pork in Chinese style is a vibrant dish of Eastern cuisine that harmoniously combines the tenderness of meat with a rich play of flavors. The recipe's origins trace back to the traditions of Chinese provinces where the combination of sweetness, sourness, and spiciness became a symbol of balanced nutrition. Fried pieces of pork covered in a crispy crust absorb the sweet and sour sauce that simultaneously invigorates and comforts the taste buds. A light garlic hint and sweetness from peppers add depth to the dish, while oyster sauce completes it with an umami chord. Served hot with rice or noodles, each piece reveals its gastronomic story. It's an ideal choice for those who appreciate richness in flavors and aromas in every treat.
1
Trim the meat by removing any thick fatty connective tissues and bones. Use only the tenderloin or fillet. Wash the meat and pat it dry with a paper towel. Only after this can the meat be processed. Cut the meat into steaks of 0.7–1.0 cm, dividing each steak into four pieces. Tenderize each piece of meat while covering it with plastic wrap to avoid tearing it. This will result in thin slices.
- Carbonade: 0.5 kg
2
Batter for meat. Take two bowls - one for batter, the other for breading. To prepare the batter, mix 1 cup of corn starch (depending on the quality of the starch, it should have a jelly-like consistency) with 1/3 cup of water. Place the meat under pressure in the corn batter marinade.
- Cornstarch: 0.2 kg
- Boiling water: 4 tablespoons
3
Pour 2 cups of corn starch into a bowl for breading.
- Cornstarch: 0.2 kg
4
Clean and wash the vegetables. Slice the onion into half rings. Grate the carrot on a Korean carrot grater. Cut the pepper into wedges. Crush the garlic with a knife. Either crush half of the garlic in a garlic press for adding to the sweet and sour sauce, slice half of it into thin wedges, or chop finely and add at the end of the dish after the oyster sauce.
- Onion: 1 head
- Young carrots: 1 piece
- Sweet pepper: 0.15 kg
- Finely chopped garlic: 7 cloves
5
Prepare the sauce. Take boiling water and add sugar, stirring until fully dissolved (about 3 tablespoons of sugar for 3-4 tablespoons of boiling water, adding boiling water one tablespoon at a time and stirring until thickened). A thick sugar syrup will form. Then add soy sauce and vinegar. The consistency should be jelly-like (you can add garlic to the sauce). If you want the dish to be spicy, add red pepper. The sweet-sour sauce is ready.
- Boiling water: 4 tablespoons
- Sugar: 3 tablespoons
- Soy sauce: 3 tablespoons
- Vinegar: 2 tablespoons
- Finely chopped garlic: 7 cloves
6
Frying meat. Dip each piece of meat in starch batter, coat in corn starch, and place on a well-heated wok or pan. Fry on both sides for about 5-7 minutes until the starch turns golden. It is advisable to use a pan/wok/kazan that can withstand high temperatures; otherwise, the pan will lose its presentable appearance.
- Cornstarch: 0.2 kg
7
Fry the onion and carrot in vegetable oil (preferably soy oil, sunflower oil can be used as a substitute) until golden brown. The nuance is that there should be just enough oil to fry the onion and carrot because they will absorb the oil at the end of frying. If there is too much vegetable oil, the final dish will be greasy and spoil the dish. If there's too much oil, it's better to drain the excess. If there's not enough oil, it's better to add as needed.
- Soybean oil: 0.05 kg
8
In this recipe, you can add frozen green beans after the carrots; determine the amount by eye, ensuring they are sautéed for about a minute without being fully cooked. At this moment, add the bell pepper; it should remain crunchy. Combine the fried meat with the onions, carrots, and vegetables. Pour in the sweet and sour sauce and mix well. Simmer for about 1 minute. When some liquid evaporates, add oyster sauce and sliced garlic. Simmer for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and darkens. The kubaro is ready to serve hot with rice/vegetables/noodles and fresh parsley.
- Frozen vegetables: 0.1 kg
- Sweet pepper: 0.15 kg
- Carbonade: 0.5 kg
- Soy sauce: 3 tablespoons
- Oyster sauce: 2 tablespoons
- Finely chopped garlic: 7 cloves