Sweet and Sour Pork
Crispy and tender sweet and sour pork tastier than takeout! No matter where you go, sweet and sour pork is featured on almost every Chinese restaurant menu. It’s an Asian staple.
Ingredients
1 pound (450 grams) pork loin (or tenderloin) , cut to thick slices
1/2 cup cornstarch
Marinade
1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
1 egg , beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
Sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sesame seed, optional
Direction:
Step 1: Combine the pork pieces, vegetable oil, and salt in a big bowl. Mix well and let marinate for 15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. Mix all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Step 2: When you’re ready to cook, add the beaten egg into the bowl with the pork. Stir to mix well. Add a few pieces of pork to the cornstarch. Stir to coat the pork until it forms an uneven coating with a little dry cornstarch left unattached. Heat the oil in a heavy-duty skillet until hot, until it just starts to smoke. Add the pork all at once and spread it out into a single layer in the skillet. Separate the pork pieces with a pair of tongs or chopsticks. Cook without touching the pork for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bottom turns golden. Flip to brown the other side, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the pork to a big plate and remove the pan from the stove. Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 3: Heat up a pan on medium heat. Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch completely. Pour it into the pan. Stir and cook until it thickens, when you can draw a line on the bottom with a spatula without the sauce running back immediately. Add back the cooked pork and stir to coat with sauce, about 30 seconds. Transfer everything to a plate immediately. Add sesame seed if using. Serve hot as a main over steamed rice.
If you would like to have some vegetable with this meal. Steamed broccoli is a great choice.
