Gu lao rou

Sweet and sour pork is a Chinese dish consisting of batter-coated chunks of pork that are deep-fried until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Chunks of meat are then mixed with a bright red, sticky, sweet and sour sauce, and vegetables such as carrots, green pepper, and onions. The dish has origins in the Cantonese cuisine of the 18th century, and it is still an extremely popular dish in the area. In the early 20th century, sweet and sour pork spread to the United States via Chinese immigrants who worked on the railroads. In America, the dish is much sweeter than in China, and although it is believed that sweet and sour pork is a traditional Chinese New Year's meal, it is only common in some Chinese communities in the United States.