Korean Fried Chicken

Created by Chef Judy Joo of Jinjuu (U.K.)

Servings:

2-3

Prep Time:

1 hours 15 minutes

Cook Time:

35 minutes

Original Red Sauce

Ingredients

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup superfine white sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt

1 pound daikon radish, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/4 cup cornstarch or corn flour

2 teaspoons kosher salt or sea salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

8 grinds black pepper

2 chicken drumsticks, 2 thighs and 4 wings with tips (bone in, skin on)

1 1/3 tablespoons TABASCO^® Original Red Sauce

1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon Korean chili paste (gochujang)

1 1/3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/3 tablespoons sesame oil

2 teaspoons grated ginger

3 cloves garlic, grated

1 teaspoon roasted white sesame seeds

4 tablespoons TABASCO^® Original Red Sauce

Oil, for frying

1/2 cup cornstarch or corn flour

1/4 cup fine matzo meal, or any fine breadcrumb

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)

1 tablespoon kosher salt or sea salt

3 teaspoons garlic granules

3 teaspoons onion granules

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup water

1/3 cup vodka*

Black and/or white sesame seeds, to taste

Preparation

Pickled Radish Cubes

Combine the rice vinegar, water, superfine sugar and salt in a large bowl, whisking until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the radish cubes and toss to coat. Leave at room temperature, covered, for 24 hours. Then refrigerate.

For Pre-Coating

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, salt, baking powder and pepper. Add the chicken and toss until evenly coated in all areas. Transfer the chicken to a rack, shaking the chicken well to get rid of any excess coating. Let rest, uncovered, for 1 hour.

For TABASCO® Gochujang Sauce

In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, TABASCO^® Sauce, chili paste, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and garlic, and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and allow to cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in sesame seeds and set aside.

For Batter

Pour enough oil into a 6-quart Dutch oven to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil reads 350°F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, matzo meal, flour, chili flakes, salt, garlic granules, onion granules and baking powder. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the water, vodka* and TABASCO^® Sauce. Just before frying, whisk the wet mixture into the dry mixture. The consistency should be relatively thin and runny.

Working in 2 batches, dip each piece of chicken into the batter, letting excess batter drip off. Suspend the chicken in the oil for a couple of seconds for it to set before letting it slip completely into the oil, otherwise the chicken will fall and stick to the bottom of the pot. Fry the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes per batch. Transfer to a wire rack to drain as done. You may keep cooked chicken warm on a wire rack in the oven set on 200°F.

Serving Suggestion

Place the TABASCO^® Gochujang Sauce in a small dish on the side, or drizzle generously on top of the fried chicken. Sprinkle with more sesame seeds to finish if you’d like. Serve with pickled radish.

*Any 40% proof alcohol that is flavorless can be substituted for vodka. If there are religious restraints, water can also be used as a substitute.