Korean Fried Chicken

I tried a different Korean Fried Chicken wings.  There are so many variations.  After I made them, Charlie tossed them  the sweet and spicy chili sauce and fried them again for a minute or two.  The first picture is of the finished wings and the second picture shows them after the first fry.  We also had rice and kimchi as well as a tossed salad and some strawberry shortcake.

Ingredients

Kosher salt

3/4 cups corn starch

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 pounds chicken wings (about 12 whole wings)

2 quarts peanut oil or vegetable shortening

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 cup vodka

1 recipe Sweet Soy Sauce or Sweet and Spicy Chili Sauce

/ingredients

DIRECTIONS

1.

Combine 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/4 cup cornstarch, and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder in a large bowl and whisk until homogenous. Add chicken wings and toss until every surface is coated. Transfer wings to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet, shaking vigorously as you go to get rid if excess coating. Transfer to refrigerator and let rest, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.

2.

When ready to fry, preheat oil to 350°F in a large wok, Dutch oven, or deep fryer.

3.

Combine remaining 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, flour, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt in a large bowl and whisk until homogenous. Add water and vodka and whisk until a smooth batter is formed, adding up to 2 tablespoons additional water if batter is too thick. It should have the consistency of thin paint and fall off of the whisk in thin ribbons that instantly disappear as they hit the surface of the batter in the bowl.

4.

Add half of the wings to the batter. Working one at a time, lift one wing and allow excess batter to drip off, using your finger to get rid of any large pockets or slicks of batter. Carefully lower wing into hot oil. Repeat with remaining wings in first batch. Fry, using a metal spider or slotted spatula to rotate and agitate wings as they cook until evenly golden brown and crisp all over, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season immediately with salt. Keep warm while you fry the remaining wings.

5.

Serve plain, or toss with Sweet Soy Sauce For Korean Fried Chicken or Sweet and Spicy Chili Sauce For Korean Fried Chicken (or serve sauce on side).

procedure

Sweet Soy Sauce for Korean Fried Chicken

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup mirin or other sweet rice cooking wine

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper (preferably Korean kochukaru, see note above)

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon corn starch

1/4 cup finely sliced scallions

DIRECTIONS

1.

Heat soy sauce, vinegar, mirin, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, crushed red pepper, and sesame oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Combine corn starch with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl and whisk into sauce. Bring to a boil and cook until sauce is slightly reduced and thickened, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Serve with Korean Fried Chicken.

Sweet and Spicy Chili Sauce for Korean Fried Chicken

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup gochujang (see note above)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vineger

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

DIRECTIONS

1.

Combine gochujang, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Gochujang can be inconsistent in its thickness. Add up to 2 tablespoons water until sauce is just barely thin enough to drop off a spoon with inverted. Serve with Korean Fried Chicken.