Korean fried chicken
11
- Prep Time20 min
- Total Time1 h 20 min
- Makes8 to 10 servings
Photo, Erik Putz.
Ingredients
1.5 kg chicken, cut into 16 to 18 pieces with backbone (see tip)
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for finishing (optional)
1 1/4 tsp pepper
oil, for deep-frying
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
scant 1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 cup rice flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp gochugaru, (Korean hot pepper flakes)
2 eggs, whisked
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup white corn syrup
1/4 cup gochujang paste
2 tbsp cider vinegar
Instructions
PLACE chicken pieces in an extra-large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, tossing to coat. Refrigerate for 30 min.
SAUCE: Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 sec. Stir in ketchup, corn syrup, gochujang and vinegar. Cook until bubbly. Remove from heat.
POUR enough oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot, preferably a dutch oven, to reach 1 1/2 in. up the sides. Clip a deep-fry thermometer to side of pot and heat over medium to reach 350F.
WHISK flour, potato starch, rice flour, baking soda and gochukaru in a bowl. Sprinkle flour mixture over chicken and rub mixture into all crevices.
WHISK eggs and water in a bowl and pour over chicken. Toss immediately with 2 large spoons, stirring and tossing until all flour mixture is absorbed into chicken (you want to see craggly bits). Transfer to a baking sheet and separate pieces. Use any flour mixture at bottom of bowl to sprinkle over moist areas of chicken.
PREHEAT oven to 250F. Place a baking sheet on centre rack. Add chicken to oil-filled pot, 4 to 5 pieces at a time. Fry, turning, until golden and crispy, about 5 min. Drain on a rack placed over a baking tray. Fry again until dark brown and very crispy, 9 to 10 min. Transfer chicken to rack and sprinkle with salt. Place on baking sheet in oven to keep warm.
DRIZZLE some of the hot gochujang sauce on chicken, in batches, in a large bowl and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and repeat with remaining chicken and sauce.
Chatelaine Quickies: Buffalo cauliflower
Kitchen How-To: To cut a whole chicken into pieces, lay chicken breast-side up on a cutting board. Cut between breasts and thighs. For each leg, cut through the drumstick joint and cut the thigh into 2 pieces, producing 3 pieces. Cut between breasts and drumettes. For each drumette, cut through the wing joint, producing 2 pieces. Cut downward through rib cage and shoulder joints to separate breasts from back. With breasts skin-side down, split centre bone and cut through meat, then cut each breast into 3 pieces crosswise, through the bone, for a total of 6 breast pieces. You should have 16 to 18 pieces of chicken.
Kitchen Tip: Use a heavy chef’s knife or cleaver to cut through the chicken bones.
Kitchen Tip: Save the neck and leftover back parts for stock. Cover with cold water and simmer for 1 hr for a delicious chicken stock.
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