Sweet and Sour Pork

Sweet and Sour Pork is the most famous Cantonese dish worldwide, but the Guangzhou original is nothing like the Westernized version. Pork belly is cut into bite-sized pieces, marinated, and coated in a thin batter made from potato starch. It's deep-fried until shatteringly crisp, then quickly tossed in a sauce made from rice vinegar, sugar, tomato paste, and soy sauce. Pineapple chunks, green peppers, and onions are stir-fried with the sauce. The balance — tangy, sweet, and savory in perfect harmony — is what makes it great.

📖 History

Originally called 'gulaorou' (咕噜肉, which translates roughly to 'gurgling meat' for the sound it makes when frying), this dish emerged in Guangzhou in the late 19th century and became one of the first Cantonese dishes to go global.