Sweet and Sour Pork Chinese Recipe

Description

Crunchy pork bites glazed in vibrant, tangy sweet sauce with crisp peppers and pineapple. A high protein Chinese takeout classic ready faster than delivery.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs (680g) pork shoulder or loin, cut into 1-inch cubes
• ¼ cup (30g) cornstarch
• ¼ cup (32g) all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg, beaten
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup (120ml) peanut oil (for frying)
• ⅓ cup (80ml) rice vinegar
• ¼ cup (60ml) ketchup
• 3 tbsp (45g) brown sugar
• 2 tbsp (30ml) soy sauce (use tamari for GF)
• 1 tbsp (15ml) hoisin sauce
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tbsp (8g) cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (slurry)
• 1 red bell pepper, cubed
• 1 green bell pepper, cubed
• 1 cup (150g) pineapple chunks (fresh or canned)
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Coat Pork: In a bowl, toss pork cubes with salt, cornstarch, flour, and beaten egg until evenly coated.
2. Fry Pork: Heat oil in a wok over medium-high until shimmering (350°F/175°C). Fry pork in batches for 3-4 minutes per batch until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
3. Whisk Sauce: Combine vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, hoisin, and ginger in a bowl. In a separate cup, mix cornstarch with water for slurry.
4. Sauté Veggies: Discard all but 1 tbsp oil from wok. Stir-fry bell peppers for 2 minutes until crisp-tender. Add pineapple; cook 1 minute more.
5. Thicken Sauce: Pour sauce mixture into wok. Bring to a simmer, then whisk in cornstarch slurry. Cook 2 minutes until glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.
6. Combine & Serve: Return pork to wok. Toss with sauce and veggies for 1 minute until heated through. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.