Spicy Korean Chicken Wings

Korean gochujang paste is my new obsession: think of a blend of sweet and spicy miso paste. I’ve seen it once at the mini price store (some years ago sighhh), but it does exist in San Jose. If you find it, grab it and share it with your loved ones. A small amount goes a long way.

Ingredients for the fried chicken wings

• 1 kilo of whole chicken wings
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 pinch of black or white pepper
• 1/2 cup of cornstarch (maizena)
• oil for deep frying

Instructions

1. Split the wings into drumettes and wingettes, discard the tips (good for making stock).
2. Pat dry with paper towels and let sit for a few hours in salt and pepper.
3. Pat dry again before tossing in cornstarch to coat evenly.
4. Heat oil until it spatters and cook wings in several batches until well done.
5. This should take at least 1/2 hour depending on size of wings. Check for doneness.

Ingredients for the sauce

• 2 tablespoons of finely chopped onions
• 3 cloves of finely minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon of finely grated ginger
• 2 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of ketchup
• 2 tablespoons of corn syrup or honey
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• Toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a shallow frying pan and add the onion, garlic, and ginger until fragrant.
2. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients saving the sesame seeds for garnish. The amounts can be adjusted to your palate, but those are my guidelines.
3. Heat and mix well before adding the fried wings. The results should be thick and sticky. They can be kept warm in a low oven until serving time.
4. Finish with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds.

Contact Chef Desiree at [email protected].