Method

1. Prepare the starch solution at least an hour before cooking. Mix 1 cup of starch with 1 cup of water and keep it in the fridge for later usage.
2. Cut the pork into 2 to 2.5-inch long strips, about 3/4-inch wide and ⅛ – inch thick. Marinate the pork with grated ginger, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Let it sit until ready to deep fry.
3. Cut the vegetables into thin bite size.
4. In a pan, add 1 cup of water, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once the sugar has melted, turn off the heat.
5. Bring out the starch solution. The starch and water will separate, and you will need to pour out the water on top to use the soaked starch at the bottom.
6. Add 2 tablespoon of beaten egg to the bowl with the soaked starch. Pour in some oil into the same bowl with the starch and egg mixture. The oil will help to loosen the very stiff starch. Use your hand to mix the soaked starch, egg, and oil thoroughly until you achieve a smooth and consistent coating mixture.
7. Add pork slices into the batter and mix well to coat all pork slices evenly.
8. In a deep fryer, wok, or large pot, add 4 cups of oil. Heat the oil over high heat until it reaches a temperature of 175°C. Using metal tongs or chopsticks, carefully drop the coated pork strips into the hot oil, one piece at a time. Cook the strips in two or three batches, depending on the size of your cooking vessel, to avoid overcrowding. Reheat the oil to 175°C between batches before adding the next batch of coated meat strips. Fry the coated meat until it turns golden brown and crispy, which should take about 3 minutes.
9. As you finish each batch, remove the deep-fried pork strips from the oil using tongs or a slotted spoon and drain excess oil on a wire rack or strainer.
10. Reheat the oil in the deep fryer, wok, or large pot to 175°C again. Add all the coated meat strips to the hot oil for the second frying. You can do this in one batch since the meat has already been partially cooked in the first frying. Deep-fry the meat strips for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until they become even more golden brown and crispy.
11. Remove the double-fried pork strips from the oil using tongs or a slotted spoon. Drain the double-fried meat on a wire rack or in a large mesh strainer set over a bowl to allow any excess oil to drip off.
12. Mix 2 tablespoon of starch with 4 tablespoons of water to make the starch slurry.
13. Bring the sauce to a boil in a pan again. Add the sliced carrot, onion, and optional mushrooms to the boiling sauce. Once the sauce is boiling, pour in the starch slurry, stirring well. This will help thicken the sauce and give it a glossy texture. Taste the sauce and adjust the flavour by adding a little more sugar or vinegar to desired taste.
14. Turn off the heat and add the cucumber slices to the sauce. By adding them at the end, you prevent the green vegetables from losing their colour quickly, ensuring they remain vibrant and visually appealing in the final dish.
15. Place the double-fried pork strips on a large serving plate. Pour the prepared tangsuyuk sauce over the meat on the serving plate. Alternatively, you can serve the sauce on the side, allowing each person to drizzle or dip according to their preference.