SWEET AND SOUR PORK (TANG CU LI JI)

Tang cu pork originated in Guangdong province and was among the first Chinese dishes to travel internationally, arriving in Chinese restaurants in Europe and North America from the late 19th century. The Western adaptation — deeper sweetness, thicker sauce, more vibrant red colouring — diverged from the original over generations. Dunlop and other contemporary Chinese food scholars have been central to restoring the original recipe to visibility.

Tang cu li ji — the original Cantonese sweet and sour pork — bears almost no resemblance to the Western adaptation that carries its name. The authentic version uses pork fillet or tenderloin pieces coated in a light batter, deep-fried twice for maximum crispness, then tossed briefly in a balanced sweet-sour sauce made from rice vinegar, sugar, ketchup (the restaurant's concession to modernity), and Worcestershire sauce. The defining quality is the maintenance of the pork's crisp batter coating as it is coated with sauce — the antithesis of the soggy, sauce-saturated Western version.

Tang cu li ji in Cantonese cooking is typically one dish within a larger shared meal — its sweetness makes it a counterpoint to more savoury preparations. Plain rice is essential as a neutral base. The dish works well alongside stir-fried greens and a clear soup. It is most appealing to those with a sweet palate and should not be served alongside other sweet preparations.