Korean Fried Chicken

Step 1

Place chicken wings in a large bowl. Add garlic, curry powder, and salt. Mix throughly. Cover and refrigerate, preferably overnight. If cooking right away, do not refrigerate but keep at room temperature.

Step 2

Right before frying, add potato starch and mix thoroughly with your hands. The potato starch should stick to the chicken wings in a thin coating. Feel free to pat the starch onto the chicken wings firmly with hands.

Step 3

Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Set aside.

Step 4

Attach a thermometer to the side of a deep, cast iron Dutch oven. Another alternative is a regular pot with high sides. Add 2-3 inches of cooking oil with a high smoking point. (I use grapeseed oil.) The goal is to add enough oil for the chicken wings to float in the pot and not stick to the bottom.

Step 5

Wait until the oil temperature reaches 380F. Then, add the chicken wings in batches until golden and crispy, about 8-10 minutes. The temperature will initially dip but keep the oil temperature at 350F for the rest of the cooking time. Drain wings and set aside.

Step 6

Now it’s time for the second fry. The temperature of the oil will not dip down as much as the first fry. Fry the (already-fried) chicken wings in batches until they are darker and golden-brown in color, about 8-10 minutes per batch, at 350F. The wings are done when they look shrunken and compacted with a very crispy coating. Drain and set aside.

Step 7

Add corn syrup, soy sauce, and rice vinegar in a small bowl. Mix throughly with a spoon and set aside.

Step 8

Prepare the minced garlic and ginger. Set aside.

Step 9

Heat a wok or deep stock pot over medium-high heat and add oil. When hot but not smoking, add chile flakes, garlic, and ginger. Mix around with a spatula or wooden spoon until fragrant and crispy looking, about 1-2 minutes.

Step 10

Add the soy sauce mixture and mix until the sauce bubbles vigorously, about 2-4 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Step 11

Add the chicken wings and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until each wing is coated in sauce. Heap onto a platter and garnish with sesame seeds and green onion and/or cilantro Serve with rice, kimchi, and beer.