Cantonese Sweet and Sour Pork

• servings: (Ti)) Serves: 3 people

Ingredients

For marinating and coating the pork

• 454g / 1 pound pork tenderloin

• 33g / 2 Tbsps soy sauce

• 28g / 2 Tbsps Chinese cooking wine

• 2.9g / ½ tsp salt

• 2.4g / ½ tsp baking soda

• 30g / ¼ cup cornstarch

• 1 egg

• 210g / 1.5 cups plain flour to coat the pork

For making the sweet and sour sauce

• 136g / ½ cup ketchup

• 128g / ½ cup apple cider vinegar

• 100g / ½ cup sugar

• 36g / 2 Tbsps orange jam

• 5.7g / 1 tsp salt or to taste

For frying and finishing

• 113g / 4 oz red bell pepper

• 113g / 4 oz green bell pepper

• 227g / 8 oz pineapple

• 550g / 2.5 cups oil for deep-frying

• 18g / 2 Tbsps minced garlic

• 13.6g / 1 Tbsp cooking oil

• 7.5g / 1 Tbsp cornstarch

• 120g / ½ cup water

Directions

1. Remove the silver skin from the pork tenderloin. Then cut the meat into 2-inch cubes.

2. Add the pork, soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, salt, baking soda, cornstarch, and egg to a big non-reactive bowl. Mix until there are no lumps and set the mixture in the fridge for 1 hour.

3. Cut the pineapple and multicolor bell peppers into the same size as the pork.

4. In a sauce bowl, thoroughly combine the ketchup, sugar, apple cider vinegar, orange jam, and salt. Mix well and set it aside.

5. Place some of the all-purpose flour at the bottom of a big bowl. Add some pork pieces and cover them with another layer of all-purpose flour. Toss the pork around until it is coated evenly. You may have to do this in 2-3 batches.

6. Shake the excess flour off the meat and then rest the pork for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the coating to bond.

Chef's Secret: If you do not let the pork rest, the flour bits will fall off while deep-frying, which ruins the quality of the oil.

7. Heat 2.5 cups oil in a wok to 350°F / 177°C. Fry the coated pork in 2-3 batches over medium heat until lightly golden, about 3-5 minutes for each batch. Remove the pork to the side and rest for 10 minutes.

8. Use a sieve to remove the particles from the oil, increase the temperature to 380°F / 193°C, and double-fry the pork over medium-high heat for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the pork onto a tray with some paper towels under it to get rid of the excess oil.

9. Pour out all the frying oil. You can save it for other deep-frying purposes. Add 1 Tbsp of new cooking oil to the wok. Sauté the minced garlic until fragrant. Pour in the sweet and sour sauce and then stir until bubbling.

10. Quickly mix 1 Tbsp cornstarch with ½ cup water and pour it into the sauce. Stir until the sauce thickens.

11. Add the bell pepper and the pineapple and mix over medium heat for a few minutes or until these two ingredients are cooked to your liking.

12. Introduce the fried pork back to the wok. Keep mixing until everything is coated with the glossy, sticky sauce. Serve with white rice.