Tangsuyuk (Sweet & Sour Pork)

Name: Tangsuyuk (Sweet & Sour Pork)
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 3 servings
Ingredients: 300 g Pork loin/tenderloin; 1 cup Potato starch; 0.5 cup Water; 1 Egg white; Frying oil; 0.5 tsp Salt; 0.5 tsp Black pepper; 1 tbsp Rice wine; 1.5 cups Water; 4 tbsp Sugar; 4 tbsp Vinegar; 1 tbsp Soy sauce; 1 handful Onion, carrot, cucumber; 2 tbsp Wood ear mushroom; 2 pieces Pineapple; 2 tbsp Starch slurry

Korea's Chinese-style sweet-and-sour pork — strips double-fried in a settled-starch batter for crunch, finished with a tangy-sweet sauce. The famous 'pour vs dip' debate dish, and the classic partner to jjajangmyeon.

Ingredients

3servings

Pork loin/tenderloin · cut into strips300 g
Potato starch · for batter1 cup
Water · for the starch0.5 cup
Egg white · optional1
Frying oil · plenty
Pork seasoning
Salt0.5 tsp
Black pepper0.5 tsp
Rice wine1 tbsp
Sauce
Water1.5 cups
Sugar4 tbsp
Vinegar4 tbsp
Soy sauce1 tbsp
Onion, carrot, cucumber · large pieces1 handful
Wood ear mushroom · soaked, optional2 tbsp
Pineapple · optional2 pieces
Starch slurry · to thicken2 tbsp

Steps

Cut the pork into strips and season with salt, pepper, and rice wine.
⏲ 2 min
Add water to the potato starch and let it sit 30 minutes so the starch settles. Pour off the top water and coat the pork in the thick settled starch (add egg white if you like). This is the secret to crispness.
⏲ 30 min
Heat oil to 170C and fry the pork once to cook through; lift out.
⏲ 4 min
Raise to 180C and fry again until crisp.
⏲ 2 min
Simmer water, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce; add onion, carrot, wood ear, and pineapple, then thicken with the starch slurry. Add cucumber last.
⏲ 5 min
Pour the sauce over the fried pork, or serve it on the side for dipping. Eat right away while crisp.

Tips & Variations

Variations

Chapssal tangsuyuk: Add glutinous rice flour for an extra crisp, chewy crust.
Soy-sauce tangsuyuk: A soy base instead of sweet-and-sour.
Vegetarian: Tofu, mushrooms, or rice cake instead of pork.
Poured vs dipped: Sauce poured over (bumeok) for soft, or on the side (jjigmeok) for crisp — your call.

Tips

Coating with settled starch (let it sink and pour off the water) gives the crispest crust — the key trick.
Double-fry to cook the inside and crisp the outside.
A 1:1 sugar-to-vinegar ratio is the base — adjust to taste.
Thicken the sauce well so it clings to the pork.
If you like it crisp, serve the sauce on the side and eat fresh from the fryer.

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