(Recipe adapted from Seonkyoung Longest and Kitchen Sanctuary)
Prep Time: 15 minutes + 2 hours to marinate
Cook Time: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
For the Marinade:
| 15 to 25 | chicken wings (cut into wingettes and drummets - discard the wing tips) |
| 8 to 10 | cloves garlic |
| 1 Tbsp | fresh grated ginger |
| 1/2 Tbsp | pink Himalayan salt |
| 1/Tbsp | fresh ground black pepper |
| 1/4 cup | white wine (or milk) |
For the Batter:
| 1 cup | seasoned frying batter mix* |
| 1/2 tsp | garlic powder |
| 1/2 tsp | onion powder |
| 1/4 tsp | curry powder |
| 1/2 Tbsp | cornstarch |
| 2 tsp | sugar |
| 1/4 cup | cold water |
Gochujang Sauce:
| 1/4 cup | mild gochujang paste (Korean hot pepper paste)* |
| 1/4 cup | ketchup |
| 2 Tbsp | dark brown sugar |
| 2 Tbsp | soy sauce |
| 2 Tbsp | rice vinegar |
| 1 tsp | sesame oil |
*The frying mix and paste were found at the international market
Of course, you'll also need oil for frying. I prefer stable oils, like avocado oil, which are said to be healthier options for shallow or deep frying.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Clean chicken thoroughly. Cut the chicken as desired and set aside.
2. Grate or finely chop garlic and ginger and place into a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients for the marinade into the bowl (salt, black pepper, white wine) and whisk to combine.
3. Add cleaned chicken into the bowl of marinade and toss thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and set in refrigerator for 2 hours. You can also marinate the chicken overnight.
4. In a separate large mixing bowl, add your dry frying mix, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, curry powder and cornstarch. (My frying mix was pre-seasoned with cornstarch, but I included the 1/2 tablespoon for extra crunchiness). Stir to combine the dry ingredients.
5. In a small mixing bowl combine all ingredients for the Gochujang sauce. Taste and add more ingredients to kick up the flavor as desired. Set aside.
6. Once the chicken has marinated for 2 hours, heat oil on the stove top at 375 degrees in a deep frying pan or dutch oven. Add the cold water to the bowl of dry batter mix. Stir to combine, adding more water until it resembles the consistency of pancake batter. Add chicken and toss to coat evenly.
7. Add chicken to oil, one piece at a time. Avoid overcrowding your pot as this can lower the temperature of the oil. Fry for 6 to 7 minutes or until lightly golden brown and almost fully cooked. Remove chicken from oil and set on cooling rack.
8. Increase the oil temperature to 400 degrees. Then return each piece into the pot for an additional 4 minutes or until golden brown. (Double-frying is the key to getting this batter super crunchy) Remove chicken from oil and set on cooling rack.
9. Add chicken to a bowl and coat evenly with Gochujang sauce.
10. Garnish with thinly chopped green onions and/or sesame seeds and enjoy!