- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
- Calories
- 430 kcal
Quick summary
“This classic Chinese dish combines pork leg cubes browned in sesame oil with colorful bell peppers and a sweet and sour sauce of soy, rice vinegar and brown sugar. Cooked over low heat, it reaches a dense balance.”
What you need to know
- The prior searing of the pork cubes in sesame oil caramelizes the surface, retaining the meat's moisture.
- The ratio of brown sugar to rice vinegar balances sweetness and acidity during slow cooking.
- The sliced bell peppers enter the refined broth to soften without completely losing the firmness of the pulp.
Ingredients
Main
- 500g of pork (leg or loin)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar
- 1/2 cup of soy sauce
- 1/4 cup of rice vinegar
- 1 pimentão vermelho em tiras
- 1 yellow bell pepper in strips
- 2 tablespoons of sesame oil
Instructions
Principal
- Cut the pork into cubes and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a large pot, heat the sesame oil and sauté the onion until transparent.
- Adicione o alho picado e refogue por mais 1 minuto.
- Place the meat cubes in the pot and fry until they are golden on all sides.
- Add the brown sugar, soy sauce and rice vinegar. Mix well.
- Add the bell peppers and cook over low heat for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- If necessary, add a little water so it doesn't dry out.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.
- Once ready, remove from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Chef's tips
- Keep the flame on medium-low during the hour of cooking so as not to burn the sugars at the bottom of the pan.
- Drip small amounts of hot water if the sauce reduces before the meat cubes become tender.
- Let the dish rest for 5 minutes off the heat to set the silky texture of the caramelized sauce.
Variations
- Sweet and sour pork with pineapple: add a cup of fresh pineapple cubes in the last 15 minutes of cooking.
- Spicy version with pepper: add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the garlic sauté.
- With fresh chives: Finish by sprinkling diagonally sliced chives just before serving.
Substitutions
- Pork leg can be replaced with loin, pork shoulder, or cubed boneless chicken breast.
- Brown sugar can be swapped for granulated sugar, demerara, or cane molasses in the same measure.
- Rice vinegar can be replaced by mild apple cider vinegar while maintaining the quarter-cup volume.
How to store
Store leftovers in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat over low heat in the pan with a tablespoon of hot water to restore uniform fluidity to the sauce.
Can it be frozen?
Can be frozen in a closed container for up to 2 months. When thawed in the fridge, the peppers lose some of their original crunchy texture, but the meat and sweet and sour sauce retain flavor and dense consistency.
What to serve with
Serve accompanied by very loose long-grain white rice, steamed jasmine rice, or oriental egg noodles. To drink, pair with unsweetened iced green tea or a refreshing light lager beer.
Frequently asked questions
How to prevent the sweet and sour sauce from burning in the pan?
Keep the heat low, stir with a spatula scraping the bottom regularly, and add hot water as soon as you notice accelerated reduction.
Do I need to bread the meat before browning?
In this traditional homemade version, the meat is browned directly in sesame oil without batter, resulting in a lighter preparation.
Can regular white vinegar substitute rice vinegar?
Rice vinegar is less aggressive; if using white vinegar, reduce the amount so as not to excessively acidify the sauce.
Which cut of pork results in greater tenderness in this recipe?
The pork shoulder cut into small cubes becomes tender and juicy after gentle cooking; the loin tends to be leaner and firmer.
