AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Finger Lickin' Good (Recipe: Korean Fried Chicken) DATE: 10/20/2009 11:09:00 AM ----- BODY:

I went to bed last night stuffed to the gills, but also a little giddy about the left-overs I’d have for lunch today. Dinner was that good!

How could I have not loved it? It was fried chicken, after all. And my love affair with fried chicken – from Popeyes to General Gau’s – is well documented. The recipe came from a recent article in the New York Times about fried chicken that showcased variations of the classic Southern as well as a Korean version.

I didn’t have the Korean chili paste that the recipe called for. But with a little research, I discovered that it is a spicy bean paste. I had sriracha (Thai Chili Paste) and sweet bean sauce (a Chinese condiment), and blended the two. I used my homemade ketchup which had a nice balance of warm spice.

I’ve struggled over the years to get my general gau’s chicken to stay crispy after it’s been tossed in the sauce. Only once did I achieve that. With this recipe, the chicken is tossed in a mix of corn starch *and* wheat flour. This made a huge difference in crisp-maintenance.

Traditional Fried Chicken is often served with cole slaw. Inspired by Cooking with Amy’s recipe for raw Brussels sprouts, I made an Asian flavored slaw with shredded brussels sprouts.

Korean Fried Chicken
Adapted from Quick and Easy Korean Cooking by Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee

Time: 30 minutes, plus one hour’s marinating

1 small yellow onion, peeled and coarsely grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 scallions, cut into rings
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for coating
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for coating
8 to 10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, quartered
3 tablespoons Korean chili paste (gojuchang), or a blend of Chinese Bean Sauce and Sriracha
3 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, more for garnish
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Oil for deep frying
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cornstarch

1. In a medium-size bowl, combine grated onion, garlic, 1/2 of the scallions, salt and pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat well. Cover and set aside to marinate for about 1 hour.

2. In a large bowl, stir together chili paste, ketchup, sugar, sesame seeds and lemon juice. Taste and adjust flavors to get a spicy-sweet-tangy finish. Set aside.

3. Pour oil into a large heavy pot to a depth of 1 1/2 inches. Heat to 350 degrees. Combine flour and cornstarch in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper.

4. Working in batches to avoid crowding, lift chicken from marinade, dredge lightly in seasoned flour and cornstarch, gently drop into oil and fry for 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining chicken, checking oil temperature between batches.

5. When all pieces are done, increase oil temperature to 375 degrees and refry in batches for 30 to 60 seconds, until very crisp. Drain once more on paper towels. While chicken is still hot, brush thickly with chili sauce. Serve hot, sprinkled with sesame seeds and scallions.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Labels: brussels sprouts, chicken, Chinese, kitchen tales, Korean

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

grace DATE:10/20/2009 03:58:00 PM sriracha-spiced fried chicken sounds DELICIOUS. i think your substitutions for the paste sound like they'd create the perfect flavor on those pieces o' poultry. great twist! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

noble pig DATE:10/20/2009 07:01:00 PM I'm lickin' my fingers over here too, it sounds so good. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

jo DATE:10/20/2009 08:16:00 PM Mmm. I also adore tori karagee as well. Fried chicken cannot be scoffed at. I can tell you form experience that Korean chili flakes taste an awful lot like Aleppo pepper. Sticky and smoky with a good heat level instead of the in your face of Italian and California chili pepper. I'll pick you up a container of the chili paste next time I hit Kan Man or Hmart. I have date with my favourite 13 year old foodie on Friday to hit the new Hmart! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Sarah DATE:10/20/2009 09:06:00 PM This sounds GREAT - I too love fried food . . . and spicy fried chicken is the greatest. I have to admit, I'm afraid to deep-fry at home - maybe this will get me over it? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Reeni DATE:10/21/2009 12:25:00 PM This looks excellent! Love the spiciness of it. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Juliana DATE:10/21/2009 02:39:00 PM This chicken sounds and looks delicious, full of flavor, yummie! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

adele DATE:10/21/2009 06:08:00 PM Sounds delicious. :) ----- --------