

To truly appreciate Korean fried chicken, it’s important to understand the unique culture of its country of origin. Chimaek (chicken and beer) Samsam Korean Chicken and Beer, Melbourne, Australia. If unavailable, any pickled vegetable is a good substitute. These are available at most Korean or Asian supermarkets. Korean fried chicken is often served with small cubes of pickled daikon radish. The Korean palate prefers to accompany rich foods with sour pickles.

To make, combine a 50/50 mixture of honey and melted butter and drizzle on the chicken before eating. While Chef Han prefers his fried chicken without sauce, if he does make a sauce for his chicken, it’s usually a honey butter glaze. Beside sauces, you can also top Korean fried chicken with scallions, chili peppers, peanuts, garlic, and even cheese (preferably a mild white cheese like mozzarella). You can substitute with honey if rice syrup is unavailable. Korean rice syrup, a thick, caramel-colored syrup is also used to create a barbecue sauce consistency. While Korean fried chicken can be served without sauce, the most popular version is yangnyeom, a sweet and spicy sauce made from rich Korean gochujang chili paste. Like all fried foods, you can make Korean fried chicken in a cast iron skillet or a deep fryer. A second fry will eliminate that moisture. Twice-frying produces a crispier crust, according to Kenji Lopez-Alt of Serious Eats, as excess moisture under the coating will continue to rise upon the surface during the first frying process. Then, let the chicken rest and crank up the fryer to 375 F. Chef Han recommends frying the chicken first at a low temperature of 275 F for 10 minutes. Korean chicken is also usually twice-fried. Chef Han likes to dredge his chicken in seasoned flour consisting of salt, black pepper, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. The chicken will have an unpleasant alkaline aftertaste. A pinch of baking powder added to the starch will also help increase crispiness. The use of starches, especially potato, gives the finished crust a less greasy, and pleasing white color. In Korean fried chicken, flour is often replaced with potato starch or corn starch. The best Santa Fe restaurants: A guide to this city’s incredible food and wine Want to make a great homemade dressing? An ice cube is the secret ingredient you’re missing
