Lychee Pork (荔枝肉)

Lychee Pork (荔枝肉)

Lychee Pork (荔枝肉) is a home-style meat dish at difficulty 4/5 (Advanced), about 681 kcal. Adjusted Yields:. Ingredients and step-by-step instructions are below, with notes for home cooking.

Difficulty

4 / 5

★★★★☆

Advanced
Estimated Calories

681 kcal

Ingredients

  • Lean pork
  • Pineapple
  • 1 egg
  • Cooking oil
  • White granulated sugar
  • Starch
  • Light soy sauce
  • Chicken bouillon powder/MSG
  • Ginger, grated/minced
  • Sesame seeds
  • Ketchup
  • Vinegar

Steps

  1. Cut the lean pork into pieces (2-3 cm each), place in a large bowl, add 1 egg, 50 g cornstarch, 3 ml light soy sauce, and 2 g chicken bouillon powder.
  2. Stir well until the starch coats the pork pieces (if the mixture is too runny, add more starch; if too dry, add a little water). Add 5 ml oil and reserve.
  3. Prepare a bowl, add ketchup, 3 g chicken bouillon powder, 2 ml light soy sauce, ginger, white sugar, 10 g starch, vinegar, and 200 ml cold water. Stir thoroughly and reserve.
  4. Cut the pineapple into 6 pieces (each 1.5-2 cm) of pineapple.
  5. Heat oil in a wok/pan. Pour in 500 ml oil and heat until sizzling with frying sounds.
  6. Slide the pork pieces into the oil one by one (do not pour the whole bowl in at once) to ensure they do not stick.
  7. After all the pork is in, flip the pieces over on both sides with a spoon every 30 seconds until the pork surfaces are golden.
  8. Remove the pork, put it back into the wok for another minute of deep-frying until the surface turns crispy-brown. Remove and place in a large bowl to set.
  9. Drain some oil from the wok. Return the wok to the heat, add the sauce/syrup, and fry for 30 seconds. Add the pork and pineapple pieces, stir-fry thoroughly, then remove.
  10. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Notes

Lychee Pork is a traditional, sweet and sour Fuzhou (Min) dish. The crispy outside, tender inside meat is covered in a bright red, shiny sauce, paired with fruit for a refreshing aroma. Lean pork is high in protein, and pineapple contains fiber and vitamins that help stimulate appetite and cut through grease. The process involves slicing, battering, and double-frying, which requires some skill but is very clear. Estimated difficulty: ★★★★. Estimated Calories: 681 kcal per serving.

Adjusted Yields:

* 150 g Lean pork
* 100 g Pineapple
* 1 Egg
* 500 ml Cooking oil
* 100 g Starch
* 5 ml Light soy sauce
* 20 g Ketchup
* 2 ml Vinegar
* 5 g Chicken bouillon powder
* 5 g Sugar
* 5 g Ginger
* 2 g Sesame seeds

* Traditional versions sometimes use water chestnuts (for refreshing taste) and potatoes (for oil absorption) instead of pineapple.
* Min cuisine is sweet; turn down the sugar if you prefer less sweetness.
* Tap the pork with a spoon while frying to check if it is fully cooked (it should sound hollow).

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