Beoseot Tangsu

Tear 300 g oyster mushrooms by hand into 4-5 cm strips following the grain, then press firmly between two sheets of paper towel to draw out surface and interior moisture completely.

Whisk 80 g potato starch, 40 g flour, and 90 ml water in a bowl until smooth and lump-free, then rest for 5 minutes so the starch hydrates and the batter bonds tightly to the mushroom.

Heat oil to 170 C and confirm with a thermometer, add battered mushrooms in a single layer without crowding, fry for 3 to 4 minutes until pale golden, then remove from the oil.

Rest the fried mushrooms on a rack for 2 minutes to release steam, raise the oil to 180 C, then return them and fry for 1 minute until the crust deepens to a rich golden brown and turns audibly crisp.

Film a pan with cooking oil over medium heat and stir-fry the onion, bell pepper, and carrot for 1 to 2 minutes, until the edges turn translucent. Reserve part of the 130ml water for the starch slurry, add the rest to the pan, and bring it to a boil over high heat.

Add 20ml soy sauce, 35ml vinegar, and 25g sugar and boil for 1 minute.

Dissolve the remaining 40g potato starch completely in the reserved cold water, stir it in gradually, and stop when the sauce turns translucent and coats the back of a spoon.

To keep the crust crisp, serve the sauce in a small bowl on the side and ladle it over the fried mushrooms just before eating so the texture stays crunchy from the first bite.