I love Chinese food. Come to think of it, I love most food, which is why I will never be anorexic! Still, Chinese food is one of my favourites, and Sweet and Sour dishes are usually my choice off the menu when we eat out. Last night I made an old favourite, Sweet and Sour Prawns. Terry, my husband, always insists that he hates sweet and sour dishes. The fact that he did not leave even one grain of rice on his plate says everything about this recipe. Another thing that amazes me is that it didn’t make my husband sneeze!! He always sneezes when we go out for a Chinese meal. I wonder if it is the monosodium glutamate?
Sweet and Sour sauce originated in China, particularly in the North-east of China. It is cheap to make and, because of this, it is sometimes known in China as the people’s sauce. This local name probably reflects the fact that it was once, distributed by the Chinese Communist Party during the Cultural Revolution. Often, in China, this is a dipping sauce rather than one added to the wok to produce a dish we are familiar with in the UK. Perhaps one of the most famous exceptions to this is Cantonese Sweet and Sour Pork.
I love this recipe. I think it’s the fact it includes chillies. They give the dish a heat that enhances the flavour in a spectacular way. It is quick and easy, and only contains 161 calories! I served it with plain boiled rice but I think it would be good with noodles as well. Give it a try, but be warned, you may find you will be disappointed afterwards if you choose this at the local Chinese restaurant! The recipe is from the Delicious Website. I have included my own photographs to demonstrate each step. My advice would be to prepare everything before starting to cook as the cooking time is less than 10 minutes altogether, so there is very little time to waste if you don’t want to overcook the ingredients.
Sweet and Sour prawns
Tasty Advice 