Northeast China is booming for tourism, especially Harbin, which has become a popular tourist destination. Guo Bao Rou (sweet and sour pork) is named after the area. Actually, you can find it in most large restaurants in Northeast China, and each restaurant has its own unique flavor and style. Northeast cuisine is currently very popular, and Guo Bao Rou is a representative dish. Its sweet and sour taste and crispy texture make it a favorite for people of all ages. When I was a child, it was a staple at every banquet, and it was always the first dish to be finished. I didn't appreciate it when I was at home, but now that I live away from home, I miss the taste of home. I've tried eating it outside, but it's never been quite right – either pre-made or overly fried and hard, and cloyingly sweet. This version isn't as sweet and sour. If you prefer a sweet and sour taste, you can add more sugar and vinegar. Follow these steps, and whether you're a beginner or an expert, you'll succeed on your first try! Please don't criticize if you don't like it; I'm just a food enthusiast, not a professional chef, thank you…
Materials
Northeast-style sweet and sour pork – crispy, delicious, and affordable; even beginners can easily master this recipe.
I froze the pork for an afternoon, so it was cut neatly and easily.
Soak potato starch in water for 2-4 hours to ensure even coating. If you're short on time, you can spray water and add potato starch repeatedly, repeating this process three times.
Cut the lean pork into pieces about the thickness of a one-yuan coin, rinse with water to remove the blood.
Use the back of a knife to gently pound the meat slices to separate them.
Add two tablespoons of Shaoxing wine and half a tablespoon of salt, and marinate for about 15 minutes.
Squeeze out the excess water from the marinated meat and place it in a bowl.
Add the soaked potato starch to the sliced meat and mix well.
Pour in some corn oil and continue mixing until smooth. The batter should look like this; it's a bit thin.
Add some dry potato starch and mix well; it should look something like this.
First frying: Heat the oil to 50-60% of its maximum temperature, until your hand feels slightly hot when you hold it close to the oil. Slowly and carefully place each piece into the oil, being careful not to let them curl up.
Fry until golden brown, then remove from the oil.
Take out after frying for the first time
Second frying: Heat the oil and add the fried meat slices.
Pour all the ingredients for the sauce into a bowl, stir, and let it dissolve. The sauce should contain the ingredients listed on the recipe's ingredient list.
Pour the sauce into the pot and simmer while stirring. It's done in about ten seconds when it dissolves and large bubbles appear. Remember not to overcook it.
Add the fried meat slices and stir-fry quickly and evenly.
Add shredded carrots and cilantro, and it's ready to serve. In Northeast China, they also add shredded scallions, but I didn't have any at home, so I didn't add them.
I garnished it with some cilantro leaves and ate it while it was hot.
I like it cut into larger pieces.
Northeast-style sweet and sour pork – crispy, delicious, and affordable; tips for beginners to easily master it.
1. Be sure to use potato starch; it makes the sweet and sour pork taste even better. 2. If possible, using pork tenderloin would be even better.
