KFC: Korean Fried Chicken

Korean is not a cuisine I’m familiar with, so I decided to go with a Korean take on something familiar: fried chicken. The ingredient that makes all the difference is gochujang, an aromatic chili paste made from red chili, rice, fermented soybeans and salt. It’s moderately spicy, with an aroma that reminded me of a mix of soy and stewed plums. The honey adds a good bit of sweetness to the sauce, which it’s worth noting is quite sticky, so grab some extra napkins before you dig in. Recipe from: http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Korean-Fried-Chicken

Sauce:

4 cloves garlic

1.5 inch piece of fresh ginger

3 tbsp gochujang

3 tbsp soy sauce

1.5 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp honey

Chicken:

16 chicken wings

2/3 cup flour

1 tbsp. corn starch

2/3 cup water

Canola oil for frying

For the sauce:

Chop the garlic and ginger in a food processor, add the remaining ingredients and pureé. Pour the sauce into a large bowl and set aside.

For the chicken:

Pour canola oil into a pot or dutch oven to a depth of 2 inches. Heat to 350°F. Meanwhile, in a bowl mix the flour and corn starch. Add the water and whisk. Add chicken wings to coat, then fry the wings in two batches. Fry for 6 to 8 minutes until golden. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to sop up excess oil. Repeat with the second batch of wings. Return the first batch to the oil (make sure it comes back up to 350°F between batches), and fry for an additional 6 to 8 minutes, until crispy.

After the frying, before the sauce

When all of the wings have been twice fried, toss them in the sauce to coat and serve.