Filipino Food: Sweet and Sour Pork

Sweet and sour pork is a Chinese dish that is particularly popular in Cantonese cuisine and may be found all over the world. A traditional Jiangsu dish called Pork in a sugar and vinegar sauce (糖醋里脊; pinyin: táng cù lǐjǐ) is considered its ancestor.

The origin of sweet and sour pork was in 18th century Canton or earlier. A record shows that the renowned Long Family in the prosperous neighbouring Shunde county (of the Qinghui Garden fame, and the family was active in the 18th and 19th centuries), used sweet and sour pork to test the skills of their family chefs. It spread to the United States in the early 20th century after the Chinese migrant goldminers and railroad workers turned to cookery as trades. The original meaning of the American term chop suey refers to sweet and sour pork. In some countries the dish is known as Ku lo yuk.

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Ingredients

• 1 lb pork loin, cubed
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 piece raw egg, beaten
• 2 cups cooking oil

• 1 small red bell pepper, cubed
• 1 small green bell pepper, cubed
• 1 medium sized red onion, chopped
• 1 small carrot, sliced diagonally
• 2 servings of sweet and sour sauce

Procedure

1. Place the pork loin in a bowl then combine the soy sauce (you may also add salt if desired). Marinade for 30 minutes.
2. Pour the cooking oil in a pan then apply heat.
3. Combine the flour and cornstarch in a bowl then mix until both ingredients are evenly distributed.
4. Dip the marinated pork in beaten egg then on the flour and cornstarch mixture.
5. Deep fry the pork (coated with cornstarch and flour) for 10 minutes or until the color turns medium brown. Set aside.
6. Heat a separate pan then pour-in the sweet and sour sauce and water then let boil.
7. Add the carrots and simmer for 3 minutes.
8. Put-in the onions and bell pepper (green and red) and simmer for 4 minutes (add extra water as needed).
9. Add the deep-fried pork loin and stir. Cook for 2 minutes.
10. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot. Share and enjoy!

Sources:
http://panlasangpinoy.com/2010/02/11/sweet-and-sour-pork-recip/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_and_sour_pork