Normally, sweet and sour is something I would only order at a restaurant. It's a pain to deep-fry the meat, and without the breading it just isn't the same. Then I came up with this version. The breading is actually the marinade and it is as simple as mixing a couple of ingredients together in a bowl. The long ingredient list makes this recipe look hard, but most of the items are just stirred together for the marinade and the sauce. Trust me; it's really not hard to make.
Ingredients
- MARINADE
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 lb boneless country-style ribs
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup cornstarch/cornflour
- 2 tbsp finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
- Salt and pepper
- Canola oil, for frying
- RICE
- 1 cup dry white rice
- 2 1/4 cups water
- SAUCE
- 1 large onion
- 1 red bell pepper/capsicum
- 1 green bell pepper/capsicum
- 1 carrot
- One 20-oz can pineapple chunks, juice reserved
- One 6-oz can pineapple juice
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp cornstarch/cornflour
- 1 tbsp tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp canola oil
Directions
To prepare the marinade: Peel and finely chop the garlic.
Cut the ribs into cubes 1 in cm long.
Combine the garlic, 1/4 cup of the flour, the soy sauce, cornstarch/cornflour, ginger, and 2 tbsp water. Add the ribs, toss until completely coated, and marinate for 30 minutes.
Put the remaining 1/4 cup flour in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Drain the marinade from the ribs and dredge the pork in the flour. Pour 3/4 inch of oil into a large frying pan and cook over high heat until very hot (about 375°F on a deep-fat thermometer); a small drop of water added to the pan should immediately begin to bubble. Put some of the ribs in the pan, but do not crowd the meat or it will cook too slowly and become greasy. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown. Drain the pork on paper towels/absorbent paper.
Continue with the remaining meat.
To prepare the rice: Put the rice and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Keep warm.
To prepare the sauce: Peel the onion and chop it into pieces 1 in long. Halve, seed, and cut the bell peppers/capsicums into pieces 1 in long. Peel the carrot, cut it in half lengthwise, and thinly slice it on a diagonal.
Combine the two pineapple juices, vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch/cornflour, tomato sauce, and honey in a small bowl.
Put the canola oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell peppers/capsicums, and carrot and cook for 5 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the sauce and cook for 15 minutes, or until the sauce is thick. Stir in the meat and pineapple chunks and remove the pan from the heat.
Spoon some of the rice onto each plate and top with the pork.
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Submitted 9/6/11.
Source: The First Real Kitchen Cookbook by Megan & Jill Carle
Submitted By: b smith
Sweet and Sour Pork