Sweet and Sour Pork

[Shel_B]

About ten days ago Toots requested that she'd like me to make her some sweet and sour pork. She's always giving me challenges <LOL>

 

I've never made S&S pork before, and have just started looking for recipes and ideas.  I have, however, gone to a few restaurants and ordered the dish, and came away wondering how such crap could be served in what were otherwise reasonably decent restaurants.

 

Some dishes were excessively sweet, loaded with chunks of pineapple; others were greasy and very one dimensional; and one tasted of raw flour (I'm assuming that had something to do with coating and frying the pieces of pork).  The version I had for lunch today was grey in color, the pieces of pork were very fatty, and there was little sweet or sour taste to it - but it was redolent of raw flour.

 

So, does anyone have a recipe for good, flavorful S&S pork, not greasy, not cloyingly sweet, and with a nice, round sour taste to it (Toots does love sour and tangy tastes)?  Thanks!

[liuzhou]

I've made this one (from Fuchsia Dunlop). It is what is referred to as sweet and sour pork in China - light years away from the gloopy orange muck sold in so many "Chinese" restaurants in the west.

[Shel_B]

I've made this one (from Fuchsia Dunlop). It is what is referred to as sweet and sour pork in China - light years away from the gloopy orange muck sold in so many "Chinese" restaurants in the west.

 

OK, that's a good start.  Thanks!

[JohnT]

I use a recipe found here http://www.melskitchencafe.com/sweet-and-sour-chicken-updated/ but just substitute the chicken with pork neck. It is a relatively simple recipe that you can cut the amount of sugar to your taste. I also serve it on a simple stir fry rather than rice. John.

[Shel_B]

I use a recipe found here http://www.melskitchencafe.com/sweet-and-sour-chicken-updated/ but just substitute the chicken with pork neck. It is a relatively simple recipe that you can cut the amount of sugar to your taste. I also serve it on a simple stir fry rather than rice. John.

 

I like that the chicken (pork) is baked, and that the recipe is simple.  It might be a good starting point for my experiments.  Thanks!

[Plantes Vertes]

A quick Google suggested that plum sauce might be useful stuff.

[SobaAddict70]

Shel -- if you're able to get water chestnut powder (also marketed as water chestnut flour), that also works. It's what my Mom used whenever she made it; I'll have to find out her recipe.