Chinese-Australian Sweet and Sour Pork
Crisp battered pork tossed with capsicum, pineapple, and a vibrant, tangy sweet and sour sauce. A beloved classic of Chinese-Australian cafe dining.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 540 kcal
Equipment
- •Wok or deep frypan
- •Slotted spoon or spider strainer
- •Mixing bowls
- •Whisk
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 540 kcal
- fat
- 24 g
- carbs
- 52 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 28 g
- calories
- 540 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place diced pork into a bowl with soy sauce and Shaoxing wine to marinate for 15 minutes.
- 2
Whisk the egg, plain flour, 80 g cornflour, and 60 ml water together into a smooth batter.
- 3
Stir pineapple juice, vinegar, tomato sauce, sugar, and remaining 20 g cornflour in a jug until dissolved.
- 4
Heat vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high heat until a wooden skewer bubbles vigorously when inserted.
- 5
Coat the pork pieces thoroughly in the batter.
- 6
Fry pork in batches for 4 minutes until light golden and cooked through, then drain on paper towels.
- 7
Reheat the oil to high and fry all the pork a second time for 2 minutes until deeply crisp.
- 8
Drain all but one tablespoon of oil from the wok and return to high heat.
- 9
Stir-fry the capsicums and pineapple pieces for 2 minutes until slightly softened and fragrant.
- 10
Pour in the sauce mixture and stir constantly for 1 minute until thick and glossy.
- 11
Toss the crispy pork through the bubbling sauce to coat evenly, then remove from the heat immediately.
Chef's tips
Double-frying the pork is essential to keep the batter crisp once the glossy sauce is added. Have all sauce ingredients mixed and vegetables chopped before you start frying, as wok cooking happens very fast. Pork collar butt or shoulder gives the juiciest result without drying out.
Ingredient substitutions
- Shaoxing cooking wine → dry sherry or extra water with a drop of vinegar
- pork shoulder → boneless chicken thigh pieces
- canned pineapple → fresh ripe pineapple chunks plus 60 ml fresh orange juice
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, noting the batter will soften.
Reheating
Reheat in a hot air fryer or oven at 180C for 8 to 10 minutes to help restore crispness.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Simmering the pork in the sauce for too long, which makes the crisp batter soggy
- •Overcrowding the wok during frying, which drops the oil temperature and leads to greasy pork
- •Using lean pork loin, which can become tough and dry during frying
Serving suggestions
Cooked Chinese-Australian Sweet and Sour Pork?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
