Sweet and Sour Pork 咕嚕肉

Sweet and Sour Pork -咕嚕肉 

In the United States, one of the most popular menu items in a Chinese restaurant has to be Sweet and Sour Pork. It's a  timeless classic that both native Chinese and non-Chinese can enjoy.

Ingredients - 400gm pork shoulder or pork belly w/o skin (cut into 1.5" X 2.5" slices, add a pinch of salt, 1 egg yolk, 2 tbs water, mix thoroughly and marinate for 15 minutes). Pineapple, bell pepper, onion, 1/2 tsp grated ginger.

The Sauce - 5-6 tbs ketchup, 3-4 tbs white sugar, 5-6 tbs white vinegar, 5-6 tbs pineapple juice, a pinch of salt. 

Note : feel free to adjust the amount and ratio of condiments according to your personal preference for the sweet and sour taste. 

Frying the Pork - coat pork slices with liberal amounts of corn starch, pinch the meat into round form, let sit for a few minutes. Bring 4-5 cups of oil to medium heat, add pork and fry for about 4-5 minutes, remove and drain. Bring the oil to high heat, return the pork and fry for another 3 minutes until golden brown, remove and drain. 

This double frying step ensures the meat is crispy on the outside but remains tender on the inside. 

Putting It Together - leave 2 tbs oil in the frying pan, add bell pepper, onion, grated ginger, stir-fry for a minute until fragrant, add the sauce and pineapple, bring to boil, add the fried pork, stir and toss quickly to coat and combine, serve while hot. 

Note : The sauce should be just enough to coat the meat and vegetables, not to drown the ingredients. Notice there isn't excess sauce at the bottom of the plate.