UPDATE: Sorry it has been a while since we posted. Derick has been studying for his upcoming Endocrine exam while Brinda and I have been working on our residency applications. However, Brinda and I have officially submitted our applications on October 25th! I am applying into Anesthesiology and Brinda, Dermatology! Now that everything is turned in, we will have more time try new recipes and share them with everyone as we wait anxiously for interview invites to fill our emails. We can not wait to share more recipes with everyone!
With football and basketball returning after being canceled by COVID-19, what better way to enjoy the games than with deep fried chicken wings? Actually, there is a better way; its with Korean fried chicken wings! Why are Korean fried chicken wings so amazing you ask? Well for starters, Korean fried chicken wings are fried twice! This allows the chicken to be extra crispy while being less greasy at the same time. These wings are then tossed in a variety of sweet and savory sauces. If this recipe is done right, I guarantee a loud and satisfying "CRUNCH" with every bite you take. So turn on the TV, grab your favorite bottle of beer and get ready to make game day so much more better with this recipe. This recipe was adapted from Seonkyoung Longest, Lian Lin and The ProKitchen.
Cook Time: 2 hours (Does not include overnight brine)
Difficulty: ★★★★★
INGREDIENTS:
Brine:
2 tsp Soy Sauce
2 tsp Sugar
2 tsp Oyster Sauce
4 Cloves of Garlic
4 Whole Scallions
2 tsp of Dried Chili Flakes
2 tsp of Salt
1 tsp of Pepper
½ Liter of Water
2½ lb of Chicken Wings
Batter:
1 cup Tempura Powder
½ tsp Garlic Powder
½ tsp Onion Powder
¼ tsp Curry Powder
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
2 tsp Sugar
¼ to ½ cup of Soju or Vodka
Frying:
Deep fryer or Iron Cast Skillet
1 L of Vegetable or Canola Oil
Sweet Black Garlic Soy Sauce:
3 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Water
4 tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tbsp salted Butter
½ tbsp Garlic Powder
5 cloves of Black Garlic crushed. If you do not have black garlic you can just use regular garlic and the flavor will still be amazing. (Recipe for black garlic: https://www.scrubstoaprons.com/post/black-garlic-compound-butter)
1 tsp black pepper powder
Gochujang Red Sauce:
2 tsp Gochugan, Korean Red Pepper Paste
1 tsp Soy Sauce
1½ Tbs Strawberry Jam (Can use any other fruit jam as well)
2 Tbs Ketchup
1½ Tbs Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tbs Sugar
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped
¼ cup Water
Garnish
Sesame Seeds
Scallions, finely chopped
RECIPE:
Brine:
Combine all the ingredients along with the chicken into a large bowl
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge overnight
Batter and Frying:
Combine all the dry ingredients into a large bowl.
Add the brined chicken and
Slowly add soju until the batter at a thick, smooth consistency resembling pancake mix
In a deep fryer or iron cast skillet, add enough oil to submerge the battered chicken. Heat to 380°F.
Add chicken and cook for 6-7 minutes or until golden brown. Remove chicken onto a drying rack. Be sure not to crowd the skillet with too much chicken because that will result in a rapid drop in the oil's temperature. This will cause the chicken to not be as crispy.
After all the chicken has been fried once, increase the oil's temperature to 400°F. Add the chicken for a second time and allow to fry for 3-4 minutes. Remove chicken and let sit on a rack.
Sweet Black Garlic Soy Sauce:
Add the crushed black garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, butter, garlic powder and black pepper to a pan on low-medium heat.
Allow the brown sugar and butter to melt. Continue stirring. The sauce will begin to caramelize.
Once caramelization is complete, add water and bring to a simmer. The sauce will reduce and thicken.
Use a brush to paint the sauce onto the half of the fried chicken wings
Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions
Gochujang Red Sauce:
Add all ingredients into a pan on low-medium heat.
Bring the sauce to a simmer. The sauce will reduce and thicken.
Use a brush to paint the sauce onto the other half of the fried chicken wings.
Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions
CONCLUSION
Overall, this dish is pretty difficult to create especially if frying is not your forte. There are a lot of steps to this recipe but I assure you, it will all be worth it in the end. When you take a bite into this freshly fried chicken wing, you will hear that amazing "CRUNCH" and crispiness that is achieved by double frying. The components of the tempura flour and corn starch within the batter create a light shell around the wings. This allows the sweet black garlic soy sauce and the gochujang red sauce to be absorbed by the batter without becoming soggy. The sweet black garlic soy sauce has a sweet and savory richness to it while the gochujang red sauce is lighter and sweeter. I take turns between the two flavors to keep it new and refreshing. My favorite part of the dish is how must moisture and juice the chicken wings retain. This is achieved through the brining process. It keeps the chicken from losing moisture during the frying and fortifies the chicken's flavors. This recipe is a culinary touchdown and the amount of aprons I will give this recipe is...
