Sweet and sour pork (Subuta) is a popular Chinese-inspired dish in Japan. The trickiest part of making it at home is getting the seasoning just right—it seems simple, but balancing the flavors can be a challenge.
This recipe uses pork shoulder for a lighter taste, but if you prefer something richer, pork belly works wonderfully too.
20 minutes
Kamekichi Papa
PROFILE
INGREDIENTS
SERVES 2
Original recipe (1X) yields 2 servings
When scaling the recipe, the ratios of some ingredients may require slight adjustments. Adjust as necessary and season to taste.
- 5oz pork shoulder (150g)
- 1/4 of an onion
- 1/4 of a green pepper
- 2-inch piece of carrot
- 1/2tsp grated garlic
- 1/2tsp grated ginger
- 1tbsp potato starch (for coating)
- neutral oil (for frying)
- Asoy sauce (a splash)
- Asake (a splash; Japanese rice wine)
- B2tbsp vinegar
- B1tbsp sugar
- B1.5tbsp soy sauce
- B1.5tbsp chicken stock (or chicken bouillon dissolved in water)
- B1/2tbsp ketchup
- Ba pinch of salt and pepper
- B1tsp potato starch (for thickening)
DIRECTIONS
Preparation
Cut the pork into 3/4-inch cubes and marinate with (A) ingredients (soy sauce and sake).
- 1
Slice the onion into wedges, the bell pepper into ½-inch-thick strips, and the carrot into thin slices.
- 2
In a bowl, mix the pork with the grated garlic and ginger.
- 3
Coat with 1 tbsp. potato starch, then deep-fry in oil at 340°F (170°C) for about 3 minutes.
Cooking SafetyBe careful of hot oil splatter when deep-frying.
- 4
Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan. Stir-fry the onion, bell pepper, and carrot over medium heat.
- 5
Add the fried pork, then pour in (B) ingredients (vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, chicken stock, ketchup, salt, pepper, and 1 tsp. potato starch). Stir-fry until the sauce thickens and coats everything evenly.
RecipeID
762
Tips & Notes
・Adjust the sauce consistency with a cornstarch slurry (potato starch mixed with water) if needed.
・For a richer version, try pork belly instead of pork shoulder.
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A stay-at-home dad holding both a chef's license and a Food Education Advisor certification. Now in his 17th year of running a cooking blog and his 12th year writing a newspaper column, he continues to win over the stomachs of his family as well with his cooking. He shares a wide variety of recipes spanning Japanese, Western, and Chinese cuisines, ranging from everyday meals to great appetizers for drinks.