Sweet-and-sour sauce, which hails from the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou and is much loved in nearby Hong Kong, has been a victim of its own popularity – you can now buy sweet-and-sour-flavour Pot Noodles, crisps and even dips. But, when made with care, the crunchy meat, tangy sauce and sweet fruit will remind you why you fell for it in the first place.
Prep 20 min
Marinate 30 min+
Cook 10 min
Serves 2
For the marinade
200g pork loin or lean shoulder
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine, or dry sherry
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp Chinese five-spice powder (optional)
To cook
1 onion, peeled
1 green pepper, stalk, seeds and pith discarded
1 mild red chilli
1 egg
60g cornflour, plus extra to coat
Neutral oil, for frying
100g pineapple chunks
For the sauce
2 tbsp apricot jam – the lower in sugar, the better
1 tbsp cranberry sauce – ditto
1 good squeeze lemon or lime juice
25-40g soft light brown sugar
2½ tbsp Chinese red vinegar, or rice vinegar
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp cornflour, or potato starch
1 Alternatives to pork
I’ve chosen to make this with pork (spare ribs also work well, if you don’t mind a bone; if possible, get your butcher to chop them up), but chicken thigh or breast, chunks of firm white fish or firm tofu would also work well. Anything that can be battered and fried without giving off too much water is a safe bet.
2 Marinate the meat
Cut the pork into strips about 1cm wide, then peel and crush the garlic. Put both in a bowl, toss with the soy, rice wine, salt and five-spice powder (if using), cover and leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes (cover and put in the fridge if you’re leaving it to sit for longer).
3 Mix the sauce
While the pork sits, prepare the sauce by stirring the preserves, then add the citrus juice and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then mix in the vinegar, soy and 90ml water. Season to taste, adding more sugar, if you like. Use another small bowl to stir the cornflour into a teaspoon of cold water.
4 Chop the veg
Cut the onion and pepper into chunky diamonds, separating the onion layers as you go. Slice the chilli into rings. If you like, add other vegetables to the mix, too (Tenderstem or mangetout would be nice); just make sure they’re sliced thinly enough to stir-fry without overcooking the other ingredients.
5 Prepare the batter
Beat the egg in a bowl, gradually whisk this into 60g cornflour until you have a smooth batter, then season. Spread some more cornflour on a plate, then put both the bowl and plate near the hob. Add another tablespoon of cornflour to the marinated pork, and toss until the meat is coated.
6 Heat the oil
Pour enough neutral oil into a large pan, wok or fryer to fill it by a third, then heat it up to 180C (digital thermometers are cheaper than oil and will ensure you get good results). Once the oil is nearly at temperature, dunk the pork in the batter, then shake off any excess and roll it in the plate of cornflour to coat.
7 Fry the pork
Fry the pork in the hot oil for three minutes, until golden (it will be fried again later, so don’t go too dark at this point or you’ll overcook the meat), then lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Keep the oil warm on a low heat while you make the sauce.
8 Cook the sauce
Heat a tablespoon of neutral oil in a wok until smoking, then stir-fry the onion, pepper and chilli until softened. Tip in the sauce mixture, bring to a boil, then stir in the cornflour-and-water mixture and cook until the mix thickens. Add the pineapple, turn down the heat to low, and keep warm.
9 Finishing touches
Heat the same pork oil to 190C and fry the meat again, this time for just 30 seconds, until golden brown. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and transfer to the sauce. Turn up the heat, toss to combine, then tip out on to a platter. Serve with egg-fried rice and perhaps something fresh and green.
