Mix 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup vinegar, 2/3 cup water, and 3 tablespoons cornstarch. Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring constantly.

Place in a kettle, 2 pounds uncooked pork or spareribs, cut in pieces about 1" thick and 2" long. Add 1 cup cold water and boil 20 minutes or until tender. Pour off water, if there is any left. Cool.

While meat is cooling, saute 1/4 cup onion, sliced and 1 medium cucumber, peeled and sliced, for one minute in 2 tablespoons oil. (If cucumbers are not available, equivalent amounts of any one of the following may be used: green pepper, pineapple, bamboo shoots, carrots, crab apples.) Remove from pan.

Now add to the cool pork a mixture of 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Heat oil for deep fat frying (390 degrees) and fry the meat until crisp and brown. Remove and drain. Combine meat with hot sweet-sour sauce and sauteed vegetables. (More sugar may be added to suit the taste.) Serves 4 to 6.