Sweet and Sour Pork (Tangsuyuk)
Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside — homemade sweet and sour pork. The tangy-sweet sauce and crunchy bell peppers make it a family favorite.
Ingredients
Main
- Pork tenderloin300g
- SaltA pinch
- Ground pepperA pinch
- Egg yolk1
- Potato starch250g
- Grapeseed oil (for batter)1 tbsp
- Onion1/2
- Yellow bell pepper1/2
- Red bell pepper1/2
- Green bell pepper1/2
- Grapeseed oil (for frying)250 ml
Sauce
- Water250 ml
- Lemon powder3 tbsp
- Sugar3 tbsp
- SaltA pinch
- Potato starch (for slurry)1/2 tbsp
Directions
- 1
Put the potato starch in a bowl, pour in water, stir well, and let it sit undisturbed for 4 hours so the starch settles.
- 2
Pour off the clear water on top and use the moist, settled wet starch.
- 3
Cut the pork tenderloin into finger-thick strips, put them in a plastic bag, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and marinate for 30 minutes.
- 4
Meanwhile, prep the bell peppers and onion, and set aside the egg yolk. Mix water, lemon powder, sugar, and salt to make the sauce liquid, and combine 1/2 tbsp of the wet starch with a little water to make a starch slurry.
- 5
Add the egg yolk to the seasoned meat and squish it together in the bag, then add the wet starch and toss until evenly coated. Adding 1 tbsp of grapeseed oil here helps the pieces separate easily when frying.
- 6
Pour plenty of grapeseed oil into a pan and fry the meat over medium heat (about 180°C/350°F). Once the bottom turns golden, flip once, and when cooked through, lift out onto a rack to drain.
- 7
Leave 2 tbsp of the frying oil in the pan, briefly stir-fry the prepped vegetables, then pour in the sauce liquid. Once it boils, stir in the starch slurry to thicken, add the fried meat, toss quickly, and turn off the heat immediately.
- 8
Plate it up nicely. The tangy-sweet sauce is delicious down to the last drop.
Tips
1. Wet starch takes time to settle, so prepare it ahead and keep it refrigerated. If you're short on time, dry starch works too. 2. The same method works beautifully with chicken breast for a tender result. 3. No lemon powder? Substitute 3 tbsp vinegar with a little extra sugar. 4. Add the starch slurry a little at a time while stirring, or it will clump.