Tangsuyuk is Korean sweet and sour pork!
Very popular Korean-Chinese dish along with Jjajangmyeon and Jjamppong . Growing, Tangsuyuk was kind of fancy menu, so we get to eat only on a special occasion. So funny though, that we always get to eat Jjajangmyeon (black noodles) or Jjamppong (seafood noodle soup) almost daily bases. lol
Check out my Jjajangmyeon recipes down below links! Tangsuyuk goes SO WELL with Jjajangmyeon & Jjamppong!
I have 3 different recipe. Traditional (classic), vegan and old fashioned (the giant one).
Let’s get started!
In a mixing bowl, combine potato starch and enough cold water to cover the potato starch, about 1-inch above. Approximately you will need 2 cups water. Mix well and let it sit at 5 hours or over night. So, it’s actually a good idea to do the day before or do it in the morning if you are planing on making it for dinner.
This is Korean-Chinese restaurants and chef’s secret for the perfect crispy batter for the meat.
When the water and starch separated completely, the water should ver very clean and starch is sink down on the bottom of the bowl. Very carefully, pour out only the water and keep the soaked starch for batter.
Add beaten egg and oil into the soaked starch. Using a spoon, break down the soaked and harden starch. The texture of the batter is like condensed milk.
Adding oil into the batter is also another pro tip for the crispy pork.
I personally love using pork loin for this recipe, it’s meatier and very easy to handle. I used boneless thick cut pork loin chops and just sliced them. In a large mixing bowl, combine pork, soy sauce, shaoxing wine and pepper. Marinate for 10 minutes.
Preheat frying oil to 350°F
Go ahead and combine the batter and the marinated pork. Mix well with your hand or a spoon.
Carefully drop one piece of pork at a time into 350°F preheated frying oil. Make sure the pork doesn’t stick to each others too much and not crowed the pot. Do 2 to 3 batches as you needed. Fry the pork about 2 to 3 minutes or longer if your pork pieces are bigger and thicker, don’t mind about the white/pair yellow color at this moment.
Take out the pork and place on a cooling rack lined baking pan. Repeat with rest of the pork and let them cool completely before the second fry.
Meanwhile waiting on the pork to cool down, let’s make the sauce. You could make the sauce when the pork is done with 2nd fry too, it’s totally up to you.
Heat a wok over high heat, add cooking oil, onion, red bell pepper, cucumber and wood ear mushrooms.
Stir fry about 1 minute and add pineapple chunks with juice, chicken stock sugar, vinegar, lemon juice and ketchup. Stir everything together and bring it to boil. Add 1 tsp of soy sauce or pinch of salt to your taste.
When the sauce is boiling, stir in slurry, equal part of starch and cold water. Keep it warm.
Heat oil temp to 375°F
Second fry the cooled down pork until nice golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove pork pieces from the oil and place on the cooling rack lined baking pan.
You can serve the pork and the sauce sparely and just dip the pork in the sauce as you go, I recommend this if you like to enjoy crispy pork until the end. Or you can pour the sauce on top of the pork, which is very classic way to serve it.
Enjoy!
Tangsuyuk
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
Tangsuyuk is Korean style sweet and sour pork. Well known as Korean Chinese food.
Ingredients
For the Pork
- 1 cup potato starch
- 1 1/2 lb pork loin, cut into 2-inch long 1/4-inch thin pieces
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- pinch of black or white pepper
- 1/2 egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp vegetable or avocado oil
- frying oil
For the Sauce
- 1 tsp cooking oil
- 1/4 small sweet onion, 1-inch cube
- 5 to 6 wood ear mushrooms, cut into bite size
- 1/2 red bell, cut into 1-inch cube
- 1/2 Persian cucumber, sliced
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 pineapple chunks in juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- fresh juice from 1/2 lemon
- pinch of salt or 1 tsp soy sauce, optional
- 1 tbsp starch, mixed with equal amount of cold water
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine potato starch and enough water to cover the potato starch, about 1-inch above. Mix well and let it sit at 5 hours or over night. When the water and starch separated completely, the water should ver very clean and starch is sink down on the bottom of the bowl. Very carefully, pour out only the water and keep the soaked starch for batter.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine pork, soy sauce, shaoxing wine and pepper. Marinate for 10 minutes.
- Preheat frying oil to 350°F Using a spoon, break down the soaked and harden starch. Add beaten egg and oil then mix well. The texture of the batter is like condensed milk.
- Go ahead and combine the batter and the marinated pork. Mix well with your hand. Carefully drop one piece of pork at a time into 350°F preheated frying oil. Make sure the pork doesn’t stick to each others too much and not crowed the pot. Do 2 to 3 batches as you needed. Fry the pork about 2 to 3 minutes or longer if your pork pieces are bigger and thicker, don’t mind about the white/pair yellow color at this moment.
- Take out the pork and place on a cooling rack lined baking pan. Repeat with rest of the pork and let them cool completely before the second fry.
- Meanwhile waiting on the pork to cool down, let’s make the sauce. Heat a wok over high heat, add cooking oil, onion, red bell pepper, cucumber and wood ear mushrooms. Stir fry about 1 minute and add pineapple chunks with juice, chicken stock sugar, vinegar, lemon juice and ketchup. Stir everything together and bring it to boil. Add 1 tsp of soy sauce or pinch of salt to your taste.
- When the sauce is boiling, add the starch and water mixture while stirring the sauce. Keep it warm.
- Increase oil temp to 375°F Second fry the cooled down pork until nice golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove pork pieces from the oil and place on the cooling rack lined baking pan.
- You can serve the pork and the sauce sparely and just dip the pork in the sauce as you go, I recommend this if you like to enjoy crispy pork until the end. Or you can pour the sauce on top of the pork, which is very classic way to serve it. Enjoy!
- Cook Time: 15 mins
16 comments
I made this tonight and it was amazing!
Hello! Do I leave the potato starch water in the fridge over night or in room temp? Thank you!!
Room temp is fine! Happy cooking!
What type of potato starch do you use?
Hi! I love your recipes and I want to find out what’s the brand of your portable stove? Thanks
HI SEONKYOUNG Thank you for the recipe. But I have an ‘Ingredient’ question. One of the ingredients reads: “1/4 pineapple chunks in juice”
Is that 1/4 of a cup / 1/4 of a can / 1/4 of what please? I’d appreciate your assistance here – once I get the ingredients right, I’ll make the dish, and let you know – it looks so tasty
Thank you Daz
hi i can’t find potato starch. what can i use instead thanks
Just made this for my family- DELICIOUS! so crunchy! The sauce is definitely best served on the side. I used chicken thigh instead of pork it was sooooo good. If you want to try a new recipe, try this one!
I dont have potato starch, is there a replacement?
I used tapioca starch in lieu of potato starch, and the result is amazin! SO GOOD! this recipe is a bomb!
I tried this recipe and it taste very good! I love eating pineapple chunks so I put a little bit more into my recipe.
Hi, I’m planning to make this recipe. Wanted to ask how do I store it if I need to make it in advance?
I made it yesterday and it was the best sweet and sour pork I’ve ever made. Particularly like the freshness brought by the lemon juice and the mixed vegetables included. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Will make it again for sure
YAY! So glad I could help!
Can this be made in the air fryer?? I love all of your recipes!! Thanks for all you do!
Hm, I’ve never done it so I can’t give you a clear answer. It might work but I usually wouldn’t fry wet battered ingredients though