Preparation
- For the glaze, put the gochujang, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger and sesame oil in a small pan, bring to the boil, stirring, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until syrupy. Set aside.
- Mix the cornflour, flour, salt and water for the batter until smooth and free of lumps. Put the extra cornflour in a shallow dish.
- Heat the oil in the tall pan to 170 °C. Turn each wing first in the cornflour, shake off the excess, then pull it through the batter and let it drip briefly.
- Fry the wings in two batches for 5 to 7 minutes each until pale golden; the oil temperature drops to around 160 °C as you do so. Drain on a rack or kitchen paper.
- Heat the oil to about 190 °C and fry the wings a second time until deep golden and really crisp. Drain again.
- Warm the glaze again if necessary, toss the hot wings in it and serve at once, sprinkled with sesame seeds and spring onions.
Drink with it
Pale lager · excellent match
Pale lager or pilsner, ice-cold
Fried chicken with beer (chimaek) is the classic pairing in Korea: cold and carbonation wash away fat and sticky glaze, and the lean beer lets the seasoning take centre stage.
Pils or Helles: What's the Difference?White wine · excellent match
Riesling Kabinett, off-dry, well chilled
Residual sugar and low alcohol cushion the gochujang heat, and the acidity cuts through the twice-fried crust.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosingIPA · good match
Fruity session IPA or pale ale, well chilled
Citrus hops pick up the ginger and honey; the bitterness amplifies the heat, though, so choose a lean, fruity beer rather than a strong IPA.
What Is an IPA? Hop Aroma with Many FacesSparkling wine · good match
Sekt extra dry
Bubbles and acidity cleanse the palate after the frying fat, and the gentle sweetness of an extra dry keeps pace with the honey glaze.
Sparkling wine, Champagne, and Prosecco: what's the difference?