December 14, 2012

Sweet, Sour, Sexy: Tangsuyuk

After last week’s vegan fare, I don’t want you to think that I’ve turned over a new leaf and abandoned my meat loving ways. Oh no. Weaning me off meat would be like getting a crack baby to give up the pipe. Impossible. Jumping back on the bacon bandwagon, this week I present to you tangsuyuk.

 

That’s right, tangsuyuk. Tangsuyuk (팅수육 in Korean) is a kind of meat dish that can be best described as sweet and sour meat in a light, crispy batter. Usually beef or pork, and very occasionally chicken, tangsuyuk originally hails from China (ssh, don’t tell that to the locals) and is hugely popular in South Korea, and is commonly found at Chinese restaurants throughout the country.

 

Just like they do with their fried chicken, Koreans take tangsuyuk to a whole other level. It’s not just boring ole’ sweet and sour pork or beef. They slap melted cheese on there and turn it into a dish resembling pizza. They slather it in spices or rub soy skin into the batter before cooking to give the meat a whole new kind of zing. They add kimchi to it. Well, it is Korea and they do love their kimchi here, so that should be no surprise.

 

I’ll stop blathering on now, and instead bring you photos of tangsuyuk, among the most delectable of Korean foodporn, and one that doesn’t make me feel like I’m being too unhealthy. I mean, it comes with onions on the side after all, so the vegetables cancel everything out.

 

Rather than try to dispute that last statement with your “real” science, let’s just enjoy these pictures. Oh tangsuyuk, I love you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So there you have it folks! Now, I want to hear from you. Have you ever tried tangsuyuk before? Which kind looks the most appealing to you? Are you disappointed that I’ve yet to try the kimchi kind? Let us know in the comments below, or shout out on Facebook or Twitter.