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
- 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.
- 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.
Sweet and Sour Pork
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
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was hard to navigate and I am a seasoned cook. I was confused and although I ate it I was not impressed. I will not make this again. I’ll stick to the recipe in my 40 year old Better Homes and Gardens checkerboard cook book.
The hot water with ginger and scallions did not pass on its flavor to the sauce. I assume the recipe was meant to tell us to lightly fry the meat once, remove and drain it, heat the oil to a higher temperature and then fry it a second time, but that is not clear from the directions. I only guessed from the pictures and the two temperatures of oil. I also thought the four tablespoons of sugar (for 200 g. of meat!!!) was really overdoing it. I make vanilla pudding dessert for four people with four tablespoons of sugar!!!! All in all, it was too sweet and I will use squeezed ginger to get a few drops of juice out for the sauce, but otherwise delicious and every bite was eaten by the family with pleasure. I enjoy authentic recipes by people who know their origins and variations. Thank you for posting and including such good pictures as well.
I’ve tried to cook this recipe, but with a little adjustment. I just use 4 tsp sugar (not 4 tbsp sugar) and 1 tbsp vinegar (not 2 tbsp vinegar) for the sauce. And my family love it.
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I’ve tried to cook this recipe, but with a little adjustment. I just use 4 tsp sugar (not 4 tbsp sugar) and 1 tbsp vinegar (not 2 tbsp vinegar) for the sauce. And my family love it.
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Going to try this tonight.
Hi, I am so happy to have found this easy recipe !!
I leaved in China for couple of years it brings back memories !
I followed the comments here and reduced sugar in the sauce : 1 tbsp vinegar + 3 tsp for me was enough
My first time doing it and a big success ! Thanks a lot
Hi, Strawberry
I’m also glad to see you to make this dish successfully, I have tried this recipe many times and it should be very accurate. I’d love for you to share your results on social media！