Gulu rou crispy pork in sweet and sour sauce

Gulu rou starts with the meat: cut the pork shoulder into cubes about 3 cm across and put them in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, the egg and white pepper, toss so every piece is coated, and let it marinate for 20 minutes.

Stir 120 g of cornstarch into the meat so the cubes are covered on all sides with a dry, slightly tacky film. This coating is exactly what creates that signature crispy crust once fried.

In a pot or a deeper pan, heat the vegetable oil to 175 degrees Celsius. Add the meat cubes in small batches and fry for 4 to 5 minutes until golden, then lift them out onto a paper towel.

Heat the oil hard again and fry the meat a second time, just 1 minute this time. This double fry is the trick that firms up the crust so it stays crispy even under the sauce.

In a bowl, mix the tomato paste, ketchup, rice vinegar, sugar and a tablespoon of soy sauce. Stir a tablespoon of cornstarch into a little cold water. Heat a bit of oil in the pan and briefly saute the garlic with the ginger.

Add the sliced onion, both the red and green pepper and the pineapple, and stir-fry for 2 minutes so the vegetables stay crisp. Pour in the sauce, bring it to a boil and thicken with the starch slurry into a glossy glaze.

Tip the fried meat into the sauce and toss quickly so the cubes get coated but do not go soft. Serve right away with steamed jasmine rice and bring it to the table hot.