RemitBee Family Recipe: Korean Fried Chicken

Korean cuisine is famous for its intense and spicy flavours. Traditionally, these foods are prepared on a built-in grill on a table. It mainly consists of rice, noodles, kimchi, and barbecue served with different sauces. But most importantly, Koreans are very fond of chicken recipes.

After the Korean War, the Americans introduced fried chicken in South Korea. In time, the locals have managed to incorporate their culture into the classic version of fried chicken. Now, there are more chicken restaurants in Korea than there are McDonald’s in the world!

The Yangnyeom-chicken is one of the most popular variations of fried chicken in South Korea. It is a glazed sweet & spicy chicken generously seasoned with garlic, onions, and other spices. Korean fried chicken has a thin but still crispy coat, unlike its American counterpart, which has a thick layer of batter. Koreans also have a plain version of chicken called Huraideu-chicken, which is less intense and spicy.

Korean fried chicken can be quickly done at home. It’s perfect for any event, from small dinners for your family to oversized banquets like birthday parties. Cooking a Korean-style chicken is as simple as following these steps:

Ingredients:

Chicken

• 2 whole chicken (cut into bite-size)
• 2 tbsp. kosher salt
• 2 tbsp. Rotisserie spice (consists of paprika, garlic and onion powder, and thyme)
• 1 tbsp. Korean red pepper
• 2 tbsp. mirin (alternatives: Soju or vodka)
• bean oil (for frying)

Batter

• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup frying flour
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• salt and pepper (optional)
• ½ cup of water

Yangnyeom sauce:

• 4 cups gochujang (Korean chilli paste)
• 4 cups ketchup
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup cola (optional)
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup sriracha
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Korean chilli powder
• 2 tablespoons ground chilli powder (optional)
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tbsp. strawberry jam (optional)
• 6 tbsp. water

Procedure:

Prepare the chicken.

1. Mix the chicken with kosher salt, mirin, spices, and red pepper in a huge bowl. Make sure to distribute the ingredients with the chicken evenly.
2. Leave the chicken for 10-15 minutes to marinate.

2. Make a batter.

1. Pour the flour and water into a huge bowl. Make sure to mix it well. You can use a whisk to dissolve the flour easier.
2. Put the chicken in the batter.
3. Pour the cornstarch, garlic powder, salt & pepper into a separate bowl and mix them well.
4. Now, remove the chicken from the flour & water batter, then place them in the cornstarch mix you’ve just made.
5. Massage the chicken to distribute the cornstarch mixture evenly. Alternatively, you can use a closed container to just put the lid on and shake to coat your chicken.

3. Prepare the Yangnyeom sauce.

1. Pour the brown sugar, gochujang, chilli powder, ground chilli powder, and minced garlic in a saucepan. Mix it well using a spoon.
2. Add the ketchup, sriracha, cola, corn syrup, soy sauce, and white vinegar.
3. Add 6 tablespoons of water. Make sure to mix the ingredients well before heating.

4. Put the mixture on low heat.

5. Make the Yangnyeom chicken.

6. Pour a generous amount of bean oil into a deep frying pan. Preheat the oil first before cooking the chicken.
7. You can now fry the chicken on medium heat when the oil is already boiling.
8. Cook each chicken piece for 5 to 7 minutes to ensure they’re perfect for a Yangnyeom recipe.
9. Transfer the cooked chickens to a filter before placing them in a bowl. Alternatively, you can drain the oil by putting the chicken on a plate with table napkins. Just be sure the chicken is dry before mixing them with the Yangnyeom sauce.
10. Now, bring the Yangnyeom sauce to a boil.
11. Make the Yangnyeom-style chicken: Put your chickens in a huge bowl and pour the Yangnyeom sauce on top.
12. Mix the sauce well with the chickens using a spoon. You know that it’s well-mixed when the chicken pieces are all red. You can now taste and serve your Yangnyeom chicken!

You can also exclude the Yangnyeom sauce to make a lighter version called Huraideu-chikin. You only need to add more spices in marination to capture the spicy, intense Korean flavour. Most locals also serve a Yangnyeom-Huraideu bowl by mixing half of the chicken with Yangnyeom sauce and leaving the remaining chicken plain to give the visitors a choice.

Eating Korean fried chicken may bring back memories of spending time with our families and friends back home. No worries, RemitBee is here to help you feel at home! Your hard-earned money can be sent back to Korea in a flash. An excellent alternative for sending money online because there are no hefty fees to pay!

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