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Gulao Rou is a classic sweet and sour dish with crispy meat cubes coated in a tangy tomato sauce. The pineapple juice marinade adds a subtle tropical sweetness, while the quick frying ensures the meat stays golden and crispy. The vibrant green and red bell peppers bring a pop of color and crunch to the dish. Perfectly balanced with a hint of vinegar and sugar, this dish is a delightful combination of textures and flavors.
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1. Prepare pork tenderloin or plum blossom pork, cut thick meat into halves. Pork belly is also an option for richer taste.
Cut the tenderloin into small cubes.
2. Pound every piece of meat with the back of knife to tenderize, operate carefully to avoid injury.
Pour pineapple juice, beer, salt, white pepper powder, and white sugar over the meat cubes, mix well and marinate for 3 minutes.
3. Cut the tenderized meat into small cubes.
4. Add white sugar, salt, white pepper powder and beer into meat cubes, stir fully until beer is absorbed completely, then marinate for more than 30 minutes. Replace beer with cooking wine and water if needed, alcohol will evaporate while frying.
5. Cut green and red bell peppers into diamond slices, chop pineapple into chunks and soak in light salt water.
6. Crack one egg into marinated meat, stir evenly and set aside.
7. Prepare tomato ketchup, sugar, vinegar and starch water in advance. Sweet potato starch works best for crispy crust; mix corn starch with a little plain flour as substitute.
8. Add starch into meat in several small batches.
9. Keep stirring until egg liquid is fully absorbed and batter wraps all meat cubes tightly.
10. Pour oil into a deep pot, heat with medium-low fire. Oil is ready when bubbles come out around a soaked chopstick.
11. Put battered meat cubes into hot oil one by one, separate them to prevent sticking together.
12. Fry meat until surface turns pale yellow, take out and cool down for a while.
13. Reheat oil with medium-high fire, put cooled meat back into oil and deep fry for about 10 seconds, do not overfill the pot.
14. Take out meat when it turns golden brown and reserve for later use.
15. Pour a little cooking oil into a clean wok.
16. Add green and red bell peppers, stir fry until 80% cooked.
17. Put pineapple chunks into wok, stir fry briefly then dish out for reserve.
18. Pour tomato ketchup and half bowl of water into wok.
19. Simmer on low heat until ketchup thickens, add white sugar and white vinegar, stir well. Vinegar can be omitted if you dislike sour flavor.
20. Pour starch water into the sauce and stir until it turns translucent and sticky.
21. Add fried golden meat into wok, toss quickly to coat every piece with sweet and sour sauce.
22. Add pre-cooked bell peppers and pineapple chunks back into wok.
23. Stir all ingredients evenly.
24. Transfer the dish to a plate and serve.
Cooking Tips: Marinate meat longer for better flavor. Double frying makes the meat crispy outside and tender inside. Choose ripe pineapple for better taste, golden pineapple does not need salt water soaking.
Add one egg to the marinated meat and stir evenly.
Coat the meat thoroughly with sweet potato starch.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the meat pieces until golden and crispy, then take out and drain the oil.
Stir-fry green and red bell peppers briefly in a pan.
Pour in the prepared tomato sweet and sour sauce and bring to a simmer.
Drizzle a little starch water to thicken the sauce.
Add the fried meat to the pan and stir-fry quickly to coat evenly with the sauce.
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Use pineapple juice as a marinade for only 3 minutes to tenderize the meat without making it mushy.
You can substitute pork with beef, lamb, or chicken for this recipe.
Ensure the oil is hot enough before frying the meat to achieve a crispy texture.
Can I use canned pineapple juice instead of fresh?
Yes, canned pineapple juice can be used, but fresh juice will provide a more vibrant flavor.
How do I know the meat is fried properly?
The meat should be golden and crispy on the outside without being burnt.
Can I skip the beer in the marinade?
Yes, you can skip the beer or replace it with water or a mild broth.
What is starch water and how do I make it?
Starch water is a mixture of water and a small amount of starch, stirred until dissolved. Use it to thicken sauces.
Can I make this dish vegetarian?
Yes, you can replace the meat with tofu or tempeh and follow the same steps.
