Every weekend, the kids always ask.

"Mom, are you going to make sweet and sour pork today?"

It's convenient to eat out at a Chinese restaurant or order delivery, but these days, prices have gone up so much that it's not easy.

Just ordering one sweet and sour pork, a black bean noodle, and a spicy noodle, plus drinks, costs about $100 for a family of four, including tips.

So, when I have a little time, I make it at home. Once I make it, my family finishes it off in no time.

Whether you prefer to dip it or pour the sauce over it, that's up to personal taste. The important thing is that the meat is crispy and delicious without any off-flavors.

Surprisingly, the most important part of sweet and sour pork is the meat rather than the batter. Using lean cuts like sirloin or tenderloin instead of fatty parts makes it light and gives a good texture.

Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and season it with salt, pepper, and cooking wine first. If you do this step well, the unique smell of pork will almost disappear.

The key to the batter is potato starch. Mix 200g of potato starch with 200g of water and let it sit in the refrigerator for about an hour.

After some time, the starch will settle at the bottom, and clear water will form on top, which you should pour off.

Using only the starch left at the bottom is the secret to making crispy batter like at a Chinese restaurant.

Then, add a little egg white and cooking oil to the seasoned meat and mix it together.

This batter helps the coating to be thin yet crispy.

The oil should be around 170 degrees. Start by frying for about 2 minutes, then take it out, and when the oil temperature rises again, fry it for another minute, a method known as 'double frying.'

This process ensures that it stays crispy for a long time without getting soggy.

There's also a little trick that many Chinese restaurant owners use.

Occasionally lifting the frying basket during frying allows air to circulate. This helps the moisture inside the batter escape quickly, resulting in a much crispier texture.

It may seem trivial, but you can really notice the difference when you try it yourself.

The sauce is also not difficult. Using pickle juice gives it a naturally sweet and sour flavor.

In a pot, combine pickle juice and soy sauce and bring it to a boil. Taste the sweetness of the pickle juice and add a little more sugar to adjust the flavor.

Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat and add a mixture of 3 tablespoons of starch and 6 tablespoons of water to thicken it.

After turning off the heat, add pre-cut vegetables like onion, carrot, cucumber, and bell pepper, and mix them in lightly.

If you boil it for too long, the vegetables will become mushy and lose their crunch.

Whether to pour the sauce over or dip it is still a matter of debate. In our house, my husband prefers pouring, while the kids like dipping.

So, I serve the sauce separately on the table.

This way, everyone can eat it the way they want, avoiding any arguments, and enjoy crispy sweet and sour pork until the end.

There's nothing quite as happy as the moment when the savory smell of fried food fills the house on a weekend afternoon, and you take a bite of freshly fried sweet and sour pork and hear that 'crunch' sound.

It may take a bit of effort, but seeing my family enjoy it makes all the work worth it.