Cook’s notes
This is an updated recipe. In the old one, the wings were dipped in batter before they were fried. I rarely employ that process these days. I now prefer to simply dust the wings with starch, tebasaki-style. No more batter.
But why? I prefer a lighter but ultra crispy crust. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not the thickness of the coating that gives fried chicken a lovely crunch that everyone adores. Rather, it is the way the chicken is fried.
In Asia, that means frying the chicken twice. The first frying cooks the meat through; the second creates the light crisp crust. That crust, as thin as it is, is just right to make sure that the glaze sticks to the wings.
Korean fried chicken wings
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram chicken wings (2.2 pounds) about 12 to 16 pieces
- 1 tablespoon rock salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Glaze
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons gochujang Korean chili paste available in Asian groceries
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup rice wine
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
To fry
- cooking oil
- 6 tablespoons potato starch
To garnish
- toasted sesame seeds
- thinly sliced scallions
Instructions
Marinate the chicken wings
- Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels.
- Place the chicken in a bowl, add the salt and pepper, and mix well.
- Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate in the fridge for four hours.
Cook the glaze
- In a small sauce pan, stir together all the ingredients for the glaze.
- Set the pan over low heat and cook the glaze, stirring often, until the sugar is fully melted.
- Set aside.
Fry the chicken
- In a frying pan, heat enough cooking oil to reach a depth of three inches.
- Dry the surface of the chicken wings with a kitchen towel.
- Toss the wings with the starch; shake off any excess.
- Over medium heat (310F to 325F), fry the chicken wings until lightly crisp, about eight to 12 minutes, depending on the size of the wings.
- Drain on a rack or strainer and leave to rest.
Refry the chicken wings
- Reheat the cooking oil to 350F to 375F.
- Fry the chicken wings until the crust is golden, about two to three minutes.
- Drain on a rack or strainer.
Glaze the chicken wings
- Scrape the glaze into a mixing bowl.
- Add the fried chicken wings.
- Toss repeatedly until all pieces are glazed.
Serve the Korean fried chicken wings
- Transfer the glazed wings to a serving plate (or two smaller plates).
- Optionally, sprinkle in toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions before serving.
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