sweet-and-sour
1. Containing sugary and acidic ingredients blended together. I've had the same bottle of sweet-and-sour sauce in my cupboard for the last five years. These sweet-and-sour gummies are delicious, but they'll give you a stomach ache if you eat too many!
2. Cooked in or with a sauce containing blended sugar and vinegar. Usually in reference to Chinese and Chinese-style cuisine. Personally, I think the sweet-and-sour chicken is the best thing they serve here. Have you tried Sarah's sweet-and-sour dumplings? They're absolutely delicious!
sweet and sour
a combination of fruity sweet and sour, but not necessarily salty, flavors. (Typically referring to certain Chinese-American foods.) I prefer sweet-and-sour pork to anything else on the menu. Alice does not care for sweet-and-sour dishes, but she will usually eat whatever we serve her.