At the table
Enjoy while the coating is crisp, but let a hot piece cool first. Cut large pieces into smaller bites.
The coating and seasoning may contain wheat, egg and soy. Confirm the recipe if you have allergies.
Pineapple, peppers and onion are optional. One familiar sauce combines ketchup, sugar and vinegar; the balance differs between cooks.
Tender pork, a crisp fried coating and sweet-sour sauce make a flavorful combination in pieces that are easy to share. Let it cool and cut into small pieces.
Recipes vary. Ask the restaurant about ingredients and serving before you order.
GET TO KNOW THE DISH
What goes into it?
IN THE APP
Get to know every ingredient.
Explore what goes into a dish and how each ingredient shapes its flavor.
How does it taste?
Sweet, tangy and savoury.
- Chili heat
- 0/5
- Texture
- Crisp-edged coating around tender pork; the sauce softens the crust over time.
A CONNECTION TO PLACE
Origin & regional roots
Guangdong
Associated with Guangdong.
About this regional connection
Guangdong: Guangdong association; not an exclusive origin claim.
Ask if they have it first
请问你们有咕噜肉吗？
Do you have this item?
A LITTLE SOMETHING TO READ
Story & history
More than one name in early 1940s records
By the early 1940s, records used more than one written name for this Cantonese sweet-and-sour pork. A 1941 food essay calls it 古老肉 and also 家乡肉; a Shanghai restaurant advertisement in 1943 lists 炒咕咾肉. These records show the dish appearing in period food writing and on a Shanghai restaurant menu. They do not establish a single naming origin: later explanations based on diners’ sounds, foreign praise or older words remain unconfirmed.
Traveler experiences
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