Guobaorou (sweet-and-sour crispy pork)

Background

Guobaorou was originally written with a character meaning "quick-fried," i.e. "pot-fried pork," and is generally believed to have originated in Harbin in the late Qing dynasty. According to Zheng Shuguo, heir to a long-established restaurant, the chef Zheng Xingwen came to Harbin in 1907 and served as official cook at the yamen of the Harbin Circuit Intendant (popularly called the "Daotai Mansion"); because the mansion often had to entertain Russian guests, he changed the savory fried pork slices of Beijing-Shandong cuisine into a sweet-and-sour version, creating this dish; the "bao" meaning quick-fried was later corrupted into the homophone "bao" meaning wrapped, giving today's name. To make it, pork tenderloin is cut into large thin slices, coated in potato starch batter, fried twice until crisp, then quickly tossed in a sweet-and-sour sauce of sugar and rice vinegar with ginger and garlic. Old-style Harbin guobaorou has a golden sauce; in Liaoning, ketchup is often used, making the sauce thicker and redder.

Local customs

Guobaorou (crispy sweet-and-sour pork) is an almost obligatory hot dish in Northeastern Chinese restaurants. It is best shared and should be eaten hot, as the crust goes soft if left to sit. Northeastern portions are large, so one plate is enough for two or three people. People in Harbin often pair it with a beer or kvass. Small portions are also available.

Religion & beliefs

• Traditional guobaorou uses pork
• halal restaurants make a beef version, so if you need halal food, look for the halal sign. Muslim travelers can also find halal northeastern restaurants in Harbin and order beef guobaorou. You can ask about the ingredients first.

Rules that apply here

Travel tips

• Guobaorou is widely served at Northeastern Chinese restaurants and long-established eateries along Central Street and in the Daoli and Daowai districts of Harbin, as a hot dish at lunch or dinner
• order it together with disanxian and sour cabbage stewed with pork belly to get the full Northeastern flavor. Dietary notes: pork, starch, sugar and vinegar
• deep-fried dishes are high in calories
• the flavor is sweet and sour, not spicy. You can combine it with Central Street, St. Sophia Cathedral and the Chinese Baroque quarter of old Daowai. When you come to Harbin in winter to see the ice lanterns, a hot plate of guobaorou is the best way to warm up. When ordering, you can ask whether the restaurant uses the old Harbin sweet-and-sour sauce or a ketchup sauce. Prices, opening hours and the day's availability are as posted by each shop
• popular shops often have queues at peak mealtimes, so go outside peak hours for a more relaxed meal.