About Chinese Sweet and Sour Sauce

Sweet and sour - it's a combination indelibly linked to Chinese cuisine. Who hasn't ordered a dish flavored with sweet and sour sauce from a Chinese take-out at one time or another?

According to sources, the Cantonese probably originally came up with the idea of merging these two very different flavors, although it is unclear when the idea originated or what led to its invention. One source states that pork flavored with sweet and sour sauce was actually created to satisfy foreign tastes. Whether or not that is true, sweet and sour dishes remain very popular in China. Sweet and sour pork is a popular treat on Chinese New Year's Eve: since the Cantonese word for sour sounds like the word for grandchildren, families believe that serving this dish will help ensure that they have more grandchildren in the New Year.

Authentic Sweet and Sour Recipes

Pineapple Chicken with Sweet and Sour Sauce
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Sweet and Sour Chicken with Lemon
Sweet and Sour Fish
Sweet and Sour Pork, Cantonese Style
Sweet and Sour Spareribs (Vegetarian)
Sweet and Sour Vegetables
Sweet and Sour Sauce (with brown sugar)
Sweet and Sour Sauce (with ketchup and Worcestershire sauce)
Sweet and Sour Sauce (with Black Rice Vinegar)
Sweet and Sour Fish Sauce (Vietnamese)

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