To make sweet-and-sour pork that will transport you back to your childhood - a dish so beloved in southern China that it's now ubiquitous in restaurants across the globe - start by marinating 200g of pork loin or lean shoulder, peeled and crushed garlic, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice wine, and ½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder (optional) for at least 30 minutes. You can also use chicken thigh or breast, chunks of firm white fish or firm tofu as alternatives.
Once the pork has marinated, chop an onion into chunky diamonds, separating its layers as you go, slice a green pepper and mild red chilli into rings, and prepare other vegetables if desired. Beat an egg in a bowl until it's thoroughly mixed, then whisk this into 60g cornflour to create a smooth batter, seasoning with salt and five-spice powder.
Heat enough neutral oil in a wok or large pan to fill it by about one-third, bringing the temperature up to 180C. Dunk the pork into the batter, shaking off excess and coating evenly in another layer of cornflour. Fry for three minutes until golden, then lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
While the pork is frying, prepare your sweet-and-sour sauce by stirring apricot jam and cranberry sauce together, then adding a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Mix in 25-40g of cornflour to thicken the mixture and add pineapple. Heat neutral oil again, bringing it up to 190C, and fry the pork for another 30 seconds until golden brown.
Combine the cooked pork with the sauce and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately on a platter with some egg-fried rice and perhaps a side of fresh vegetables - a dish that will surely satisfy your sweet-and-sour cravings and leave you wanting more.
Once the pork has marinated, chop an onion into chunky diamonds, separating its layers as you go, slice a green pepper and mild red chilli into rings, and prepare other vegetables if desired. Beat an egg in a bowl until it's thoroughly mixed, then whisk this into 60g cornflour to create a smooth batter, seasoning with salt and five-spice powder.
Heat enough neutral oil in a wok or large pan to fill it by about one-third, bringing the temperature up to 180C. Dunk the pork into the batter, shaking off excess and coating evenly in another layer of cornflour. Fry for three minutes until golden, then lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
While the pork is frying, prepare your sweet-and-sour sauce by stirring apricot jam and cranberry sauce together, then adding a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Mix in 25-40g of cornflour to thicken the mixture and add pineapple. Heat neutral oil again, bringing it up to 190C, and fry the pork for another 30 seconds until golden brown.
Combine the cooked pork with the sauce and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately on a platter with some egg-fried rice and perhaps a side of fresh vegetables - a dish that will surely satisfy your sweet-and-sour cravings and leave you wanting more.
using chicken thigh or breast as alternatives sounds like a great idea, btw! 5-spice powder is def a game-changer, adds such depth of flavor 
my only minor suggestion would be to add more pineapple chunks to the sauce, gives it that extra burst of tropical sweetness 
the key is using the right ingredients, especially that cornflour batter - it makes all the difference in texture. i also added some extra pineapple chunks to the sauce and it took it to the next level 
has anyone else tried making this at home? what's your fave way to customize it?
. Can't they just make it easy to read? The text is all jumbled up like this and it's hard to even scan the ingredients let alone follow along with the steps. And what's with all the extraneous info? "firm white fish or firm tofu" who cares, I'm just here for the sweet-and-sour pork 
. Can't we just get straight to the recipe already? 
. Plus, think about all the flavors and textures that come together in one dish - it's like a little taste explosion in your mouth! And honestly, I don't think anyone can replicate that homemade love with just a bunch of pre-made sauces and shortcuts 
.
I also love how simple yet time-consuming the preparation process is, it's like a mini-vacation from all the hustle and bustle of daily life. Just imagine sitting down with a warm plate of sweet-and-sour pork, egg-fried rice, and fresh veggies... 
Blissful!
The fact that it can transport us back to our childhood is just amazing - I've had the dish at my favorite restaurant in Chinatown, and now I wanna make it at home too. 
