东北锅包肉

Northeastern Pot Pork

Dongbei Guobaorou

Fried Dish | Northeast (Dongbei) Cuisine

traditional

Dongbei double-cooked crispy pork features thick pork slices in a sweet and sour sauce, creating a shatteringly crispy coating with tender meat inside.

Ingredients

Tenderloin 300g
Starch 100g
Tomato sauce 3 spoons
2 tablespoons sugar
Vinegar 2 tablespoons
1 carrot
Onion, ginger and garlic appropriate amount
Coriander appropriate amount
Edible oil 500ml

Instructions

1. Cut the tenderloin into thin slices or small pieces, add cooking wine and a little soy sauce and marinate for 15 minutes
2. Pour an appropriate amount of cooking oil into the pot and heat it over high heat until it is 70% hot.
3. Add the tenderloin and stir-fry quickly over high heat until it changes color.
4. Add tomato paste, carrots, onions, ginger and garlic and continue to stir-fry until cooked through
5. Add sugar and vinegar to taste, stir-fry over high heat and serve evenly.
6. Remove from the pan and serve on a plate

Cultural Notes

Guobaorou is the pride of Dongbei cuisine and one of the most popular dishes in all of Northeast China. It was invented in the early 20th century by a Harbin chef named Zheng Xingwen, who adapted a sweet and sour pork recipe for a Russian diplomat who did not enjoy heavy soy sauce flavors. The result was this lighter, brighter version with a vinegar-forward sauce. The double-frying technique is essential — the second fry at higher temperature creates the signature shatteringly crispy texture. In Harbin, restaurants compete fiercely for the title of best guobaorou.