Battered pork with sweet and sour sauce
4 servings
20 minutes
Pork in batter with sweet and sour sauce is a dish that embodies the spirit of Chinese cuisine. It combines tender meat wrapped in a crispy airy batter with a tangy sweet and sour sauce, creating a vibrant balance of flavors. The origins of this dish trace back to Cantonese cuisine, where the mastery of meat preparation and harmony of flavors are highly valued. The sweet and sour sauce soaking the golden pieces fills them with rich aroma and mild acidity. It is an ideal choice for a festive table or a cozy family dinner. Typically served with rice or fresh vegetables that highlight its rich taste, each portion offers a gastronomic journey to China, where traditions and innovations find their harmonious expression on the plate.
1
Slice the pork thinly into pieces about 5 mm.
- Pork: 500 g
2
Dissolve starch in water to get a slightly thick liquid. This will be the batter for the meat.
- Cornstarch: 8 tablespoons
- Water: 50 ml
3
Coat the meat in batter.
- Pork: 500 g
- Cornstarch: 8 tablespoons
4
Next, heat vegetable oil in a pan on maximum power. Then reduce to just above medium heat. Place the meat in the pan piece by piece; it will be several batches. Fry until a crust forms but do not overcook to golden brown, as this is important because the meat will become tough and less tasty.
- Vegetable oil: 400 ml
5
Transfer each batch to a plate. After all pieces are fried, move them back to the pan, reduce the heat to just below medium. While the meat cooks both outside and inside, start on the sweet and sour sauce.
- Pork: 500 g
6
Mix tomato paste, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce in a bowl.
- Tomato paste: 3 tablespoons
- Sugar: 2 tablespoons
- Rice vinegar: 3 tablespoons
- Soy sauce: 1 tablespoon
7
After the sauce is ready, drain the vegetable oil from the pan and pour the sauce over the meat in batter.
- Vegetable oil: 400 ml
- Pork: 500 g
- Tomato paste: 3 tablespoons
- Sugar: 2 tablespoons
- Rice vinegar: 3 tablespoons
- Soy sauce: 1 tablespoon