Sweet and Sour Sauce

Not only the Chinese but also the North Americans and the Europeans use sweet and sour sauce as a part of their cooking. It is a fact that sweet and sour sauces originated in China. Years back, the people of the New World used this sauce as a dip. Many of the Chinese recipes use sweet and sour sauce to pour over the meat and fish, and also as a dipping sauce. Many people around the world favor the dish ‘Cantonese sweet and sour pork’. Sweet and sour sauce is one of the sauces that could be made at home.

Recipe to make Sweet and Sour Sauce

Note: Use rice vinegar to give you best results. Instead of water you could use pineapple juice.

Ingredients

½ cup vinegar (white or rice)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp ketchup
4 tbsp brown sugar/ molasses
2 tsp cornstarch
4 tsp water
Pepper to taste

Method

In a thick-bottomed pan mix the ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce and vinegar well. Boil the mixture and add cornstarch paste. Reduce the flame and stir fast. Keep stirring till it becomes thick. Add pepper and switch off the flame. If you want to make the sauce thicker, increase the quantity of cornstarch.

This sauce can be poured over a dish of cooked meat or vegetables. It is also used as a dipping sauce.

Cantonese Sweet and Sour Pork

This Chinese dish is popular and one of the fast-moving dishes in most of Chinese restaurants in Europe and America.

Ingredients
1 pound pork
3 tsp soy sauce
¾ cup sweet and sour sauce
¼ tsp cornstarch
½ cup pineapple chunks
1 carrot
Red and green pepper bells (½ cup each)
Oil for deep-frying

Ingredients to make batter
¼ cup corn flour
¼ cup multipurpose flour
¼ cup lukewarm water
1 egg white beaten
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

Cut the pork into 1-inch cubes and marinate with soy sauce and corn flour for half an hour.

In the meantime, peel and chop the carrot into 1-inch pieces. Remove the seeds from the pepper bells and cut them into cubes.

To make the batter: Sieve flour and corn flour. Put this in a bowl and stir in the vegetable oil and egg white. Mix well. Add water to make a thick batter.

In a thick-bottomed pan heat the oil for deep-frying.

Dip the marinated pork in the batter and fry till it becomes golden brown. If the oil is overheated you can reduce the flame.

In another thick-bottomed pan, boil the sweet and sour sauce. Add cubed pepper bells, pineapple chunks and carrots. Allow it to boil, stirring constantly. You can add pepper or salt to suit your taste.

In a plate arrange the golden brown pork cubes. Pour this sauce over fried pork cubes.

The sweet and sour pork dish could be served with various types of bread such as naan or with flavored or plain rice.

Sweet and Sour Sauce with Pineapple

Ingredients
4 ounce pineapple juice
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup tomato ketchup
¼ cup white vinegar
¼ cup of brown sugar
¼ tbsp corn flour
¼ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp mustard powder
½ tsp powdered dry ginger

Method

In a thick-bottomed pan, mix all the above-mentioned ingredients. Bring this mixture to a boil in medium-high heat. Stir the mixture continuously until the sauce is thick.

If you want to store this sauce, allow it to cool. Transfer it into a refrigerator jar and put it in the fridge.