Sweet and sour pork (Tang Cu Li Ji)-Traditional Chines style sweet and sour pork tenderloin.

I love to cook all types of sweet and sour dishes in summer when feeling no appetite for meats. This is a very popular dish in Chinese restaurants. This sweet and sour pork is a different dish the sweet and sour pork using pineapple. The former one is popular across China but the later one is more popular in Guangdong area. In China, we call the sweet and sour pork with pineapple as Ku-lao-jou (咕噜肉) while this dish is 糖醋里脊(Tang Cu Li Ji).

Cook’s Note

1. In order to keep the pork tenderloin juicy, tender and evenly cooked. The first deep-frying should be done with a lower temperature. Then with the help of higher temperature oil in the second frying, we can expel oil absorbed in the first deep-frying process and make the shell crisper.
2. I use scallion and ginger water instead of chopped scallion and ginger so I can keep the finish dish as clean as possible.
   

Ingredients

• 200g pork tenderloin, remove any white tissues
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. beer or Chinese cooking wine
• 1/4 tsp. sugar
• 4-5 pieces of smashed ginger
• oil for frying

 Batter

• 50g flour
• 50g cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder (optional)
• 100ml water

 Sauce

• 4 tbsp. tomato ketchup
• 1/2 tbsp. vegetable cooking oil
• 4 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. rice vinegar or 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup hot water + 1 tsp. chopped scallion and 1 tsp. chopped ginger
• 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch + 1 tbsp. water

Soak chopped scallion and ginger with 1/2 cup of hot water.   And mix cornstarch with water to make cornstarch.

Cut the pork tenderloin into small strips around 1.5 cm thick. Add all the marinating sauce, combine well and let the pork absorb all of the seasonings. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.

Prepare the batter| in a large bow combine cornstarch, flour, salt and water. Stir until all of the ingredients are well incorporated and set aside for 10 minutes.

Mix the pork strips with the coating batter.

Heat oil in a wok until 160 degree C (proof testing, when you insert a chopstick in, there will be lots of fine and small bubbles around). Place the pork strips one by one and fry until slightly Browned. Do not overcook!! 

Heat oil until almost smoky (at least 200 degree C) and place the fried pork strips in, continue frying 6-10 seconds. Transfer out immediately.

Fry the ketchup and sugar with 1/2 tablespoon of oil until there are large bubbles over slowest fire.

Stir in ginger and scallion water.

Add vinegar (lemon juice), salt and starch water and heat until well thickened.

Place the fried pork strips in and coat well. Please fish this process as quick as possible.

Sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds as decoration.

5 from 3 votes

Print

Sweet and Sour Pork

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

Sweet and Sour Pork tenderloin is a dedicate Chinese dish which is popular among the whole China.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: pork, sweet and sour

Servings: 4

Calories: 259 kcal

Author: Elaine

Ingredients

• 200 g pork tenderloin
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. beer or Chinese cooking wine
• 1/4 tsp. sugar
• 4-5 pieces of smashed ginger
• oil for frying

Batter

• 50 g flour
• 50 g cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder ,optional
• 100 ml water

Sauce

• 4 tbsp. tomato ketchup
• 1/2 tbsp. vegetable cooking oil
• 4 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. rice vinegar or 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup hot water + 1 tsp. chopped scallion and 1 tsp. chopped ginger
• 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch + 1 tbsp. water

Instructions

1. Soak chopped scallion and ginger with 1/2 cup of hot water. And mix cornstarch with water to make cornstarch.
2. Cut the pork tenderloin into small strips around 1.5 cm thick. Add all the marinating sauce, combine well and let the pork absorb all of the seasonings. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.
3. Prepare the batter| in a large bow combine cornstarch, flour, salt and water. Stir until all of the ingredients are well incorporated and set aside for 10 minutes.
4. Mix the pork strips with the coating batter.
5. Heat oil in a wok until 160 degree C (proof testing, when you insert a chopstick in, there will be lots of fine and small bubbles around). Place the pork strips one by one and fry until slightly Browned. Do not overcook!!
6. Heat oil until almost smoky (at least 200 degree C) and place the fried pork strips in, continue frying 6-10 seconds. Transfer out immediately.
7. Fry the ketchup and sugar with 1/2 tablespoon of oil until there are large bubbles over slowest fire.
8. Stir in ginger and scallion water.
9. Add vinegar (lemon juice), salt and starch water and heat until well thickened.
10. Place the fried pork strips in and coat well. Please fish this process as quick as possible. Sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds as decoration.

Recipe Notes

Adjust the taste slightly according to your own taste. If love sweet taste very much, add more sugar please.

Nutrition Facts

Sweet and Sour Pork

Amount Per Serving (4 g)

Calories 259 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 32mg11%

Sodium 762mg33%

Potassium 322mg9%

Carbohydrates 43g14%

Sugar 18g20%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 200IU4%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 25mg3%

Iron 1.5mg8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.