Korean Fried Chicken

[ZenKimchi]

I was surprised when a New York Times reporter contacted me for a story about Korean fried chicken. She said it was catching on in New York.

Here's the article.

Now, I've said that if Korean fried chicken got a foothold in the U.S., it would spread as rapidly as Krispy Kreme has in Korea (which was another prediction I had made).

Anyone seen any evidence of Korean fried chicken catching on?

Any lovers of this stuff out there?

[coquus]

I just read the article, I have to say it had my mouth watering and I recognized your name from here. I have had the kind with too much sauce on it, it was really good, now I'm anxious to have some more. Koreans are definately masters of most other deep fried dishes, it's no great wonder to me they would submit whole pieces of bone-in chicken to their will.

[SheenaGreena]

the korean grocery store near my parents opened up a brand new fried chicken place, but they said it was pretty gross. I am still on the hunt for good fried chicken (korean style) in the us.

do you have a recipe for it or a recipe for the little radishes that accompany the fried chicken?

coquus, what kind of sauce did you get on your fried chicken? I have never had it with sauce. I have always eaten it just plain and deep fried

[coquus]

I think it was like sort of sweet and green chile hot, I forget if it had the sour element, like the ubiquitous pork dish, it was seven years ago so I don't fully remember. I know this is probably a different dish entirely, that was just like chicken wings. I'm waiting for a recipe too Zen, the method is there but, what is everyone painting on theirs?

And what is this superfine flour, rice flour by chance?

[melonpan]

i wasnt so sure about korean fried chicken trend. maybe... but maybe by the time that comes around here, the korean frozen yogurt trend will have subsided. is the whole frozen yogurt thing just an la thing or is it also over there in nyc?

do you have a recipe for it or a recipe for the little radishes that accompany the fried chicken?

i have some tongdak radish recipe links here. have not tried them. just saved them for a rainy day. i do love "통닭집 무우"...

<a href="http://blog.dreamwiz.com/huskyblue/4780661">this page</a> gives a couple different promising leads...

<a href="http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/korea/korea_cuisine_detail.htm?No=552">this one is in english</a> along with a chicken recipe.

<a href="http://tinyurl.com/2pmq9k">another radish recipe here</a> although it isnt cubed, its all the same.

you could probably just swipe the muu recipes from vietnamese pickled carrots and radishes and get the same exact results. i cant think that there is any difference.

since im posting all this, ill just follow huskyblues lead here and post some ratios:

vinegar : sugar : water : salt

1 : 1.5 : 3 : 1 (first link)

6 : 6 : 6 : 1 (first link)

6 ybsp : 5 ybsp : 1 cup : 1 tsp (second link)

1/2 cup : 1/2 cup : 1 cup : 1 tsp (last link)

[SheenaGreena]

I live in boston so there are no korean trends what so ever. My parents live in maryland and there aren't any korean trends there either, but there is a huge korean population there.

the only korean thing that people like here is bulgogi....boring

gimme korean fried chicken!!!!

"통닭집 무우"... radish house?mo o?

[SuzySushi]

Curiously, Korean fried chicken has not hit Hawaii. In fact, I never even heard of it until today (maybe I would have if I'd hung out in Korean bars). Somebody ready for a franchise here? We do pretty well with (Japanese) Beard Papa cream puffs!

[SheenaGreena]

Curiously, Korean fried chicken has not hit Hawaii. In fact, I never even heard of it until today (maybe I would have if I'd hung out in Korean bars). Somebody ready for a franchise here? We do pretty well with (Japanese) Beard Papa cream puffs!

←

I love beard papa! We are lucky enough to have one here in boston, god only knows why. I don't really think we have that big of a market for one. My boyfriend loves them, but interestingly enough won't eat japanese and korean cream or coffee rolls. What is up with that? He thinks japanese/korean european style pastries are a weird concept but he will quickly scarf down a beard papa molten chocolate cake.

I just ate lunch, but now I want fried chicken and cream puffs filled with vanilla cream. yummy

[JanMcBaker]

Curiously, Korean fried chicken has not hit Hawaii. In fact, I never even heard of it until today (maybe I would have if I'd hung out in Korean bars). Somebody ready for a franchise here? We do pretty well with (Japanese) Beard Papa cream puffs!

←

Now one or both of those could be really interesting in the Reading Terminal Market here in Philadelphia!

[Soup]

In northern VA, a "KFC" opened up about a year ago. you can get a whole chicken for about $11 (give or take, its been a while since I went). The interesting thing for me is that they don't fry until you order. So it is not like KFC or Popeye's where you have chicken sitting under a heat lamp. You have to wait a few minutes but its worth it.

Now is it better than popeyes or really good wings? There all pretty good but I do love that spicy sweet sauce they put on it.

[melonpan]

Curiously, Korean fried chicken has not hit Hawaii. In fact, I never even heard of it until today (maybe I would have if I'd hung out in Korean bars). Somebody ready for a franchise here?

suzy, i dont know where you are exactly or how long youve been there but have you heard of chicken alice?

<a href="http://starbulletin.com/2005/02/16/features/story1.html">http://starbulletin.com/2005/02/16/features/story1.html</a>

[ZenKimchi]

I mimicked the Korean Two-Two chicken style once. I'll try to make it again and record the recipe. The seasonings are similar to a Chinese five spice. There's a strong anise and black pepper element with maybe some cinnamon.

The sauce is a mix of gochujang, lots of garlic, soy sauce, and corn syrup or honey.

[SuzySushi]

Curiously, Korean fried chicken has not hit Hawaii. In fact, I never even heard of it until today (maybe I would have if I'd hung out in Korean bars). Somebody ready for a franchise here?

suzy, i dont know where you are exactly or how long youve been there but have you heard of chicken alice?

<a href="http://starbulletin.com/2005/02/16/features/story1.html">http://starbulletin.com/2005/02/16/features/story1.html</a>

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Thanks for the link! Chicken Alice was mostly before my time.

[SheenaGreena]

not fried chicken, but have any of you ever had "rotisserie" style chicken in korea? I had it once in some park in uijeongbu and this guy had a rotisserie hooked up on the back of his truck. It was so yummy and juicy. Unfortunately the next day I got really sick from the chicken

[Domestic Goddess]

We have the rotisserie chicken truck here in Janghowon, Sheena. We never got sick from eating the chicken. It cost 6,000 won per small chicken and 10,000 won for 2 chickens (about $10). There is sticky rice, garlic, dates and ginseng stuffed inside the chicken's cavity, makes for an interesting accompaniment to the chicken. It's a great dinner substitute when I don't wanna cook.

[ZenKimchi]

Unfortunately, that's the only time I've gotten sick off of Korean food-- those roasted chicken trucks.

[Domestic Goddess]

I guess we've been pretty lucky then, haven't gotten sick for over 4 years dining off those trucks. We get them about 2-3 hours after they first put on the chickens. Maybe cooking them that long helps kill the bad germies?

[SheenaGreena]

Unfortunately, that's the only time I've gotten sick off of Korean food-- those roasted chicken trucks.

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good to see I wasn't imagining things when I thought the rotisserie chicken made me sick.

Despite being god awfully sick for 12 straight hours I would still eat it. I like that they stuffed yours (doddie) with daechu (sp?) ginseng and sticky rice. It's like sam gye tang rotisserie chicken. You need that broth though!

Edited February 8, 2007 by SheenaGreena (log)

[Akiko]

In Chicago there is a place called Great Seas that does amazing gampoongi (fried chicken in spicy/sweet garlicky sauce). The version is done on the bone (instead of just cubed pieces as I've seen elsewhere) and they've done a wonderful job of balancing the sauce, making sure their version is not overly sweet.

Its delicious. I have a picture, if you'd like to see. Click on the link in my signature and then hit the link on the archive category for Chicago. This will lead you to a post on Great Seas.

[SheenaGreena]

cubed pieces sans bone doesn't sound like true korean fried chicken to me...sounds more like tangsooyook.

what is "Yang Jiang Pi " I have never even heard of it! is it korean or chinese? either way it looks and sounds delicious. also is that jellyfish in the middle of the dish?

[Akiko]

Yes, Jellyfish. It is delicious. Cold julienned vegetable, pork, and various seafood, with Jellyfish. All tossed in hot mustard sauce.

I've never seen it offerred at any other Korean restaurant but my Korean friends all recognize it at once so I'm assuming this is a Korean dish and not Chinese. Or a Chinese dish that is much more popular in Korea than it is for the Chinese (we usually have people of both nationalities when we go for dinner at Great Seas and the Koreans are the only ones familiar with it).

[SheenaGreena]

maybe its a koreanized chinese dish like ja jang myun or tangsooyook. I rarely use korean hot mustard in dishes other then mul naeng myun, so its nice to see another dish that uses it. It really is a nice condiment and clears your nose. I wonder if its made out of the same things as powdered wasabi. I k now that powdered wasabi isn't made out of the true wasabi root, so maybe that's why they both make your eyes well up when you eat a lot of it.

(sorry for going off topic)

[melonpan]

Yes, Jellyfish.  It is delicious.  Cold julienned vegetable, pork, and various seafood, with Jellyfish.  All tossed in hot mustard sauce.

I've never seen it offerred at any other Korean restaurant but my Korean friends all recognize it at once so I'm assuming this is a Korean dish and not Chinese.  Or a Chinese dish that is much more popular in Korea than it is for the Chinese (we usually have people of both nationalities when we go for dinner at Great Seas and the Koreans are the only ones familiar with it).

yes, you both (sheena too) have it right.

there are subset of chinese dishes which have been adopted and made very popular by koreans. i consider these dishes basically korean, but its not really native korean food. most koreans will tell you these dishes are chinese, but most chinese wont recognize them. or if they do, they will say that its "off" or that its really different.

these "chinese" restaurants often have the following characteristics:<blockquote><i><ul><li>they have the name "shan-dong" or "qingdao", a major city in shandong

<li>often the only places in korea or in america where you can most easily count on finding handpulled noodles (which koreans call suta guksu)

<li>have the following dishes<ul><li>jjajangmyeon 짜장면 (suta guksu dish)

<li>jjambong 짬뽕 (suta guksu dish)

<li>lajogi 라조기 (a kind of chicken dish)

<li>gganpoong-x 깐풍-x (substitute x with chicken or shrimp)

<li>fried rice 볶음밥

<li>tangsuyuk 탕수육 (sweet sour pork)

<li>palbochae 팔보채 (aka happy family)

<li>naeng chae aka yangjangpi 냉채 aka 양장피

<li>mandu 만두

<li>wangmandu 왕만두

<li>japchae 잡채 (its korean, but you can always find this dish too)

<li>mapadubu 마파두부

<li>ggotbbang 꽃빵 </ul></ul></i></blockquote>of course not all restaurants have all these characteristics/dishes, but as a general rule, you'll find that what is here is true.

and sheena, ggan-poon-gi is not anything like tangsuyuk.

sheena, if your parents live in maryland, you MUST try the gganpoongi at dae sung kwan on veirs mill road in wheaton. i dont know if they live in that area, but the gganpoonggi there is to DIE for. we were gganpoonggi ADDICTS. it was ugly. we robbed cars to get our daily fix. humble place. its just a run of the mill chinese korean restaurant, but it is close to our hearts.

Dae Sung Kwan

대성관

11215 Viers Mill Rd.

Wheaton, Maryland

(301) 949-1500

Edited February 9, 2007 by melonpan (log)

[melonpan]

maybe its a koreanized chinese dish like ja jang myun or tangsooyook. I rarely use korean hot mustard in dishes other then mul naeng myun, so its nice to see another dish that uses it.

i just wanted to add that i LOVE naeng chae, but rarely get the chance to order it since its not appropriate to order for just two people (its a large dish and uses a lot of expensive seafood, so its more appropriate for larger gatherings)

I rarely use korean hot mustard in dishes other then mul naeng myun, so its nice to see another dish that uses it.  ...I wonder if its made out of the same things as powdered wasabi.

its not wasabi. its that yellow mustard that acts very similarly to wasabi. i think its the same mustard you use in naengmyeon.

[Tae.Lee]

the restaurant below my parent's business has this almost unbelievably tasty korean fried chicken dish..

it's called yangyom chicken [meaning seasoned/spiced chicken, if my korean interpretation correct], large pieces fried and covered in a chilli, slightly sweet sticky sauce.. very red, from a predominantly gochujang base..

it is sooooo good! they used to make it really hot [!!!], but last time i had it they had toned it down a touch, which i think was good as before it was too hot to really taste the flavours [and i'm korean!]

i've never seen it on any other korean menus and it's not something my mum ever made when we were younger either, so maybe it's a more modern dish or regional.

speaking of which, my mum makes a pretty mean fried chicken too..

i'll take some pics of both next time the opportunity arises

Edited February 12, 2007 by Tae.Lee (log)