Tangsuyuk (Korean Sweet and Sour Pork)
User Reviews
5
34 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
1 hr 5 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 35 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
502 kcal
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Course
Main Course
Tangsuyuk (Korean Sweet and Sour Pork)
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Tangsuyuk is a Korean sweet and sour pork dish featuring thinly sliced pork loin strips marinated, battered with potato starch, water, egg whites, and oil, then deep-fried until crispy. The pork is combined with a tangy sauce made from pineapple juice, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar, thickened with starch slurry. Vegetables like onion, bell peppers, cucumber, carrot, and pineapple chunks add fresh textures and brightness. This dish balances crispy, tender meat and a flavorful, syrupy coating.
Description
Tangsuyuk is prepared by marinating pork loin strips in rice wine, soy sauce, salt, ginger, and pepper, which helps add flavor and tenderize the meat. The batter is made by separating potato starch in water, then combining the starch sediment with cooking oil and egg whites to form a stiff, smooth coating. The marinated pork is dipped into this batter before deep-frying to achieve a crispy outer crust while retaining juicy pork inside.
The sweet and sour sauce combines pineapple juice and water with sugar, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar for balance and depth. A starch slurry is added after to thicken the sauce to a glossy texture. The dish is assembled by mixing fried pork and vegetables — including onion and colorful bell peppers — with the sauce, providing a vital balance of savory, sweet, tangy, and crunchy elements.
Tangsuyuk can be served as a main dish, typically with rice, and offers versatility to substitute the pork with chicken or beef as preferred. Additional vegetables like mushrooms or apples can also be incorporated according to taste. The recipe's instructions emphasize careful preparation of the batter for optimal texture and highlight the importance of marinating for flavor.
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Ingredients
MEAT
- 500 g pork loin (1.1 pounds), cut into thin strips (about 1 cm x 5 cm)
MARINADE
- 1 Tbsp rice wine (or any cooking wine)
- 1 tsp soy sauce , regular
- 1 tsp salt fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger or minced ginger
- A few prinkles black pepper ground
BATTER
- 1 1/4 cup potato starch (or corn starch)
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 Tbsp neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 2 egg white
FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
- 150 g pineapple 5.3 ounces), cut into small chunks (I used canned pineapple, slices
- 1/2 onion (70 g / 2.5 ounces), cut into small chunks
- 1/2 yellow capsicum / bell pepper (50 g / 1.8 ounces), cut into small chunks
- 1/2 red bell pepper / bell pepper (50 g / 1.8 ounces), cut into small chunks, red capsicum
- 1/4 English cucumber (100 g / 3.5 ounces), cut into small chunks (1cm / 0.4 inch thickness)
- 1/4 carrot (50 g / 1.8 ounce), thinly sliced
SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE (MIX THESE IN A BOWL)
- 200 ml water
- 200 ml pineapple juice (I used the juice from the canned pineapple)
- 1/4 cup sugar , raw
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce , regular
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
SAUCE THICKENING AGENT (MIX THESE IN A BOWL)
- 2 Tbsp potato starch (or corn starch)
- 2 Tbsp water
OTHER
- Some vegetable oil for cooking and deep frying (I used rice bran oil)
Instructions
- In order to make the batter for frying, prepare a medium size bowl and add the potato starch and water. Once you have added these ingredients, use a spatula to gently flatten the starch and submerge it under water. It is important that you do not mix or whisk at this time. Instead, leave it on the kitchen bench while you prepare the other ingredients. This will allow the water and starch to separate, which will take approximately 10 to 20 minutes.
- Combine the pork with the marinade and mix them well. Set aside (in the fridge) until needed.
- Once the starch and water have been separated (from step 1), gently discard the water (the last part of the water includes a bit of starch but it's okay to discard it). Combine the starch sediment with the cooking oil and egg whites. Mix them well until the texture is smooth (It will be stiff at first, so you might need to use a fork or equivalent tool to mix.). Set it aside.
- Add the pork (from step 2) into the batter bowl (from step 3). Mix them well. Allow the batter to rest for about 10 minutes to allow it to thicken. This will help ensure that your fried pork is very crisp.
- Fill a wok with a generous amount of oil and bring it to boil until it reaches 175 C / 350 F (or boiling). (It takes about 5 minutes.) Add the battered pork into the wok one at a time and cook the meat. (It takes about 1 to 2 minutes to cook.) Make sure the wok doesn't get crowded. Scoop out the meat and move them onto kitchen paper to soak away the excess oil. Repeat this with the remaining meat.
- In a separate pan, pour the sweet and sour sauce into the pot. Heat the sauce on medium high heat until it bubbles up. Add the carrots into the sauce and boil for 1 minute. Add the remaining fruit and vegetables and boil the sauce a further 2 minutes. Add the thickening agent and stir constantly until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat.
- Return to the wok. Heat the oil again until it reaches 175 C / 350 F (or boiling). Deep fry all the meat (from step 5) briefly to make it crispier. (The wok can be crowded this time.) Scoop out the meat and place it onto kitchen paper.
- Serve the meat on a plate with the sweet and sour sauce over it. Alternatively, you can serve them in a separate plate and a bowl. This will prevent the fried pork from getting soggy. (Some restaurants also serve a Korean dipping sauce for your fried meat. If you want, you can try the meat with it instead of the sweet and sour sauce.)
Notes
- Substitute pork with lean, tender cuts of beef or chicken if desired.
- Popular vegetable and fruit additions include wood ear mushrooms and apples for extra texture and flavor.
- Use 1 tablespoon as 15 ml and 1 cup as 250 ml for measurement accuracy.
- Prepare the batter by allowing starch to separate in water before discarding excess water to ensure crisp coating.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
502kcal
(25%)
Carbohydrates
75g
(25%)
Protein
36g
(72%)
Fat
5g
(8%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Cholesterol
78mg
(26%)
Sodium
1550mg
(65%)
Potassium
1308mg
(28%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
25g
(50%)
Vitamin A
1175IU
(24%)
Vitamin C
42.2mg
(47%)
Calcium
63mg
(6%)
Iron
2.3mg
(13%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 502 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 502kcal | 25% |
| Carbohydrates | 75g | 25% |
| Protein | 36g | 72% |
| Fat | 5g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 78mg | 26% |
| Sodium | 1550mg | 65% |
| Potassium | 1308mg | 28% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 25g | 50% |
| Vitamin A | 1175IU | 24% |
| Vitamin C | 42.2mg | 47% |
| Calcium | 63mg | 6% |
| Iron | 2.3mg | 13% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
34 reviews
Excellent
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