Cantonese Sweet & Sour Pork Chops

4 pork loin chops (about 700g total)

1 red onion, sliced into wedges

Vegetable oil, for deep frying

The Marinade

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

20g fresh ginger, roughly chopped

2 spring onions, finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground white pepper

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons cornflour

The Sauce

4 tablespoons sugar

1–1½ tablespoons Chiu Chow chilli oil (use mostly the chilli paste)

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine

2 tablespoons Chinkiang black vinegar

2 tablespoons tomato ketchup

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

PREPARATION

Remove the pork from the bones, leaving a little meat attached to each bone. Trim away any large pieces of excess fat. Using the back of a heavy knife or a meat mallet, thoroughly tenderise both sides of each pork loin until the surface is covered with small indentations. Finely chop the garlic, ginger and spring onions. Mix the pork (and bones) with the garlic, ginger, spring onions, salt, white pepper, light soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and cornflour. Massage well until evenly coated, then marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight if possible. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl.

COOKING

2. Heat the vegetable oil to 180°C in a deep pan or wok.

3. Fry the pork bones first until golden brown and cooked through, then remove and drain.

4. Return the oil to 180°C and fry the whole pork fillets for 2–3 minutes, until lightly golden and just cooked through.

5. Remove the pork and allow it to rest for a minute.

6. Slice each pork fillet into large bite-sized pieces.

7. Heat a clean wok over a high heat.

8. Stir-fry the red onion for 20–30 seconds, keeping it crisp.

9. Pour in the prepared sauce and bring it to a vigorous boil until bubbling all over.

10. Add the sliced pork and pork bones back to the wok.

11. Toss quickly over the high heat until every piece is coated in the glossy caramelised sauce.

12. Transfer immediately to a serving platter and serve hot with steamed jasmine rice.

School of Wok Tips

 Tenderising the pork creates tiny ridges that help the marinade cling to the meat while producing a softer texture.

 Fry the pork whole before slicing to keep it exceptionally juicy.

 Worcestershire sauce is a classic Hong Kong addition that gives the sauce its distinctive sweet, tangy "Western-style" flavour.

 Keep the onions crisp by adding them just before the sauce—they should provide fresh crunch alongside the sticky pork.

FAQs

Why fry the pork whole instead of slicing it first?

Keeping the pork whole during frying helps retain its moisture. It is sliced only after frying, before being tossed in the sauce.

Can I marinate the pork overnight?

Yes. An overnight marinade gives the ginger, garlic and spring onions more time to flavour and tenderise the meat.

Is Worcestershire sauce traditional in Chinese cooking?

While it isn't traditionally Chinese, it became a popular ingredient in Hong Kong cuisine during the colonial era and is commonly used in Cantonese "Western-style" dishes like these sweet and sour pork chops.