Description
The absolute favorite of Chinese children and the root of Subuta. Uses ZERO vegetables. Pork fillet is battered thickly, double-fried until rock-crispy, and flash-glazed in a sweet-sour sauce. A dish fighting purely with meat and batter texture.
Restaurants serving Tang Cu Li Ji (Sweet and Sour Pork Fillet)
Researching
We are researching restaurants that serve this dish.
On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Pork fillet
- Potato starch
- Ketchup
- White vinegar
- Sugar
- Cooking wine
- Egg white
- White sesame
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- Cut pork fillet into sticks and marinate.
- Coat meat in a thick batter of starch sludge, egg white, and oil.
- Fry at 160°C until cooked, then remove.
- Double-fry at 190°C until the batter turns rock-hard.
- Heat ketchup, white vinegar, massive sugar, and starch to create a thick glaze.
- Dump the hot meat into the boiling sauce, toss rapidly, and plate before the batter gets soggy. Scatter white sesame.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Refreshing tartness of white vinegar and intense sugar sweetness
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Coat JP pork fillet thickly in potato starch and fry
Pairing
Jasmine Tea / Beer
Trivia
[Trivia] 'Tang Cu' refers to sugar and vinegar seasoning. While JP Subuta includes pineapple, in Northern China, this dish—a head-on battle of meat and sweet-sour sauce—is the absolute standard.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Eat while piping hot. The outer batter shatters with a violent crunch, revealing the tender fillet inside. The intense sweetness and acidity fill the mouth, making it a supremely satisfying meat dish even without veggies.
Allergen
Pork, Eggs, Wheat, Soybeans