Delivered contemporary in takeout bins or served alongside frosty beer at bustling eating places, fried hen is a nationwide obsession in Korea. Traditionally, hen consumption was uncommon in South Korea, and it wasn’t till the Eighties that Korean fried hen grew to become fashionable. Whereas Korean fried hen is similar to Southern fried hen, the Korean model is far more numerous in each taste and selection.
Taken with cooking Korean fried hen within the consolation of your individual dwelling? Right here to lend The Guide some knowledgeable suggestions and strategies is Chef Sol Han of Little Mad, an progressive and fashionable Korean restaurant in New York Metropolis. Whereas making fried hen at dwelling may appear intimidating, the completed product is nicely well worth the journey. You possibly can reward your self with the chilly beer to pair it with.
Tricks to make your Korean fried hen even higher
Seasoning the hen
Chef Han likes to brine his hen in a single day in a 3 % salt-to-water ratio. One distinctive twist he likes is to marinate his hen in dashi inventory or white soy, a kind of soy sauce with a lighter and sweeter taste than darkish soy sauce. Nonetheless, if brined, the hen should dry out on a rack earlier than being dredged in flour.
Frying the hen
In Korean fried hen, flour is commonly changed with potato starch or corn starch. Using starches, particularly potato, provides the completed crust a much less greasy, and pleasing white coloration. A pinch of baking powder added to the starch may even assist enhance crispiness. However don’t substitute baking soda. The hen may have an disagreeable alkaline aftertaste. Chef Han likes to dredge his hen in seasoned flour consisting of salt, black pepper, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
Korean hen can be often twice-fried. Chef Han recommends frying the hen first at a low temperature of 275 F for 10 minutes. Then, let the hen relaxation and crank up the fryer to 375 F. Twice-frying produces a crispier crust, based on Kenji Lopez-Alt of Critical Eats, as extra moisture underneath the coating will proceed to rise upon the floor throughout the first frying course of. A second fry will eradicate that moisture. Like all fried meals, you may make Korean fried hen in a forged iron skillet or a deep fryer.
Sauces and sides
Whereas Korean fried hen may be served with out sauce, the preferred model is yangnyeom, a candy and spicy sauce produced from wealthy Korean gochujang chili paste. Korean rice syrup, a thick, caramel-colored syrup can be used to create a barbecue sauce consistency. You possibly can substitute with honey if rice syrup is unavailable. Beside sauces, you can even prime Korean fried hen with scallions, chili peppers, peanuts, garlic, and even cheese (ideally a light white cheese like mozzarella).
Whereas Chef Han prefers his fried hen with out sauce, if he does make a sauce for his hen, it’s often a honey butter glaze. To make, mix a 50/50 combination of honey and melted butter and drizzle on the hen earlier than consuming.
The Korean palate prefers to accompany wealthy meals with bitter pickles. Korean fried hen is commonly served with small cubes of pickled daikon radish. These can be found at most Korean or Asian supermarkets. If unavailable, any pickled vegetable is an effective substitute.
Chimaek (hen and beer)
To actually admire Korean fried hen, it’s vital to grasp the distinctive tradition of its nation of origin. In contrast to American fried hen, which is usually loved at dwelling or as quick meals, Korean fried hen revolves round ingesting and eating out.
This tradition is named chimaek, a mix of the English phrase “hen” and “maekju,” the Korean phrase for beer. Known as “hofs” (pubs), chimaek eating places have change into a quintessential a part of Korean eating tradition. A lighter lager, similar to a pilsner, is the perfect sort of beer pairing. If accessible, attempt Korean beers similar to Hite or Cass for an genuine contact.
Editors’ Suggestions
