Sweet and sour pork
Sweet and sour pork is a classic Chinese main course featuring tender pork loin steaks in a glossy, sticky sauce with a tangy-sweet balance. The Thermomix cooks fluffy basmati rice and blends the sauce with soy, five spice and sesame oil while you fry the crisp pork, bringing takeaway quality to your own kitchen.
About this recipe
Sweet and sour pork Thermomix TM7 recipes bring the beloved Chinese takeaway classic straight into your kitchen, and this version does it with remarkable ease. Cubed pork loin steaks are tossed in a seasoned flour and cornflour coating with five spice, fried until golden and crisp, then finished in a sticky, tangy sauce enriched with soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and pineapple. The all-in-one kitchen machine proves its worth on every level: the integrated scale weighs the flour and cornflour precisely, the blades grind garlic and spices for maximum freshness, and the mixing bowl cooks the basmati rice to fluffy perfection while you crisp the pork in the pan. Whether you are searching for a quick weeknight dinner the whole family will love or a homemade alternative to Chinese takeaway, this recipe delivers balanced sweet-sour flavour with a texture that rivals your favourite restaurant.
Preparation tips
- Cut the pork loin steaks into even cubes of roughly the same size so the cornflour coating crisps uniformly and every piece stays juicy inside when it hits the hot oil.
- Mix the sauce ingredients in the Thermomix bowl before frying the pork so it is ready to pour immediately; the cornflour will thicken the sauce as it heats, creating that glossy takeaway-style coating.
- For a milder family version, reduce the soy sauce slightly and add extra pineapple juice; children love the sweetness, and the five spice can be halved without losing the characteristic aroma.
Recipe variations
- Chicken variation: swap the pork loin steaks for chicken thigh fillets and follow the same cornflour coating method; the chicken stays wonderfully tender and pairs just as well with the sweet pineapple sauce.
- Festive party variation: thread the coated pork cubes onto skewers, fry until golden and serve with the sweet and sour sauce as a dipping dip at birthdays or New Year celebrations.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- Built-in scale - The Thermomix weighs plain flour and cornflour to the gram for an even coating on every pork cube. [Weighing]
- Fresh grinding - The TM7 grinds garlic cloves and Chinese five spice into a fragrant paste that infuses the sauce. [Grinding]
- Gentle steaming - The Varoma of the Thermomix keeps the fried pork warm and tender while the sauce thickens. [Steaming]
- Silky mixing - The Thermomix blends soy sauce, sesame oil and pineapple into a glossy sauce with ideal consistency. [Mixing]
- Even chopping - The TM7 chops the garlic finely in seconds, releasing more flavour than hand-cutting. [Chopping]
Ingredients
- basmati rice
- water
- plain flour
- cornflour
- pork loin steaks
- soy sauce
- Chinese five spice powder
- sesame oil
- egg
- garlic cloves