Spicy Korean Fried Chicken Wings (Yangnyeom Chicken) with Pickled Radish
Korean food has become increasingly popular all over the world and KFC has taken on a whole new meaning in the world of fast-food chicken. The chicken is battered or coated in corn flour for a light and crispy texture and can come with a variety of sauces or toppings. This is my version of the popular yangnyeom – a sticky, sweet sauce that packs a spicy punch from gochujang chilli paste. In Korea, spicy chicken is often served with pickled radish for a refreshing and crunchy side – give it a try.
Method
If you prefer, cut the chicken wings through the joints into drumettes and winglets, discarding the tips. Place in a bowl. Mix together the rice wine, ginger, salt and black pepper, add to the chicken and toss to coat well, rubbing the marinade into the meat. Marinate for 1-2 hours.
Put the ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan over a low-medium heat. Whisk well while you bring it to the boil. Simmer for 4-5 minutes and then remove from the heat and keep warm.
Heat enough oil for frying in a deep-fryer or deep, heavy- based saucepan, making sure it comes no more than two-thirds of the way up the saucepan, to 175°C.
Put the corn flour and baking powder in a bowl. Take a couple of wings at a time and drop them in the corn flour, rubbing into the meat and shaking the bowl to coat the wings thoroughly. Remove and set aside on a tray. Continue until all of the wings are coated in the flour.
Fry the chicken wings in batches for 8-10 minutes or until crisp, golden and cooked through, turning halfway. Remove with a slotted spoon or tongs to drain on kitchen paper.
Put the hot chicken in a bowl and pour over some of the sauce. Toss to coat and serve immediately sprinkled with sesame seeds and spring onions, with pickled radish on the side.
Tip: If preferred you can spray the wings with a little oil and bake on a lightly greased baking tray for 30 minutes at 200c/180fan or until golden and crispy.
Ingredients
- For the Chicken Wings
- 1 kg whole chicken wings
- 3 tbsp rice wine/mirin (or white wine, dry vermouth, rice wine vinegar)
- 5 cm piece of ginger, peeled, grated
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 120g corn flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- vegetable oil, for deep frying
- For the Spicy Korean Sauce
- 3 tbsp soft brown sugar
- 2-3 tbsp gochujang, adjust according to taste
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 cm piece of ginger, grated
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- To Garnish
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- 3 spring onions, trimmed, thinly sliced