Sweet and sour pork is a popular Chinese dish that combines diced pork with vegetables and fruits in a sweet and sour sauce. It can be easily prepared at home by marinating the pork, frying it with cornstarch, and stir-frying it with vegetables in a sauce made of soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, ketchup, and water. It is often served with fried rice or white rice and is a flavorful and colorful meal.
Sweet and sour pork is a Chinese dish that combines cubes of cooked pork with fruits and vegetables to create a sweet and sour meal. Considered a staple in many Chinese restaurants, sweet and sour pork is an example of Chinese food that has been adapted over the years to include elements in line with Western tastes, while retaining some of the integrity of the original recipes. While sweet and sour pork is on the menu at nearly every Chinese restaurant, it’s also possible to prepare the dish at home with relatively little hassle.
The main ingredient for sweet and sour pork is pork loin or pork butt that has been diced. Often the pork is marinated for a period of time before the preparation process begins. The marinade usually consists of ingredients such as soy sauce, chopped green onions, sugar, salt, and egg whites.
After marinating the meat for about an hour, the next step in creating sweet and sour pork is cooking the pork. This is accomplished by removing the cubes from the marinade and coating them with a thin layer of cornstarch. The cubes are fried in a small amount of oil and set aside to drain.
To complement the meat, several vegetables are also prepared. These include white onions that are in wedges, chopped celery, and sliced bell peppers. To add another layer of sweetness to sweet and sour pork, pineapple chunks are added to the mix. A mixture of red and yellow pepper slices can also be used if desired.
All of these ingredients are stir-fried in a sauce that has both sweet and sour qualities. The base sauce is made with soy sauce, sugar, apple cider vinegar, ketchup and a small amount of water. After the sauce comes to a boil, reduce the heat and stir in the pork, vegetables and pineapple. To finish the sauce and achieve the right consistency, add a little more water and a little cornstarch. The sauce will slowly thicken and cling to the vegetables when they get a little tender.
Sweet and sour pork is often served alongside fried rice, although many Chinese restaurants also offer the option of enjoying the recipe with white rice. When making sweet and sour pork at home, it’s not unusual to place the pork, vegetables, and pineapple chunks on top of the rice. The end result is a colorful dish that packs a lot of flavor and is certainly a pleasant change from your usual dinner.
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