Kkanpunggi (Spicy Korean Garlic Fried Chicken)

Hello from Seoul! Today, we are making Kkanpunggi (Spicy Korean Garlic Fried Chicken). If you’re craving some Korean fried chicken, but you want something new? Then, this is it! You will love this so much! Alright, let’s get started!

Kkanpunggi (2 servings)

Ingredients:

• 8.8 oz (250g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp mirin
• 1/4 green bell pepper
• 1/4 red bell pepper
• 1-2 green onions
• 7 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp (3-4g) ginger
• vegetable oil, for frying
• 2 tbsp chili oil
• 3-5 Vietnamese dried chilies
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• cilantro (optional), to garnish
• generous pinch of toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

Batter:

• 3/4 cups potato starch (or cornstarch)
• 1/2 egg white

Sauce:

• 1.5 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp mirin (or any cooking wine)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 3 tbsp white vinegar
• 3 tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp white pepper (or black pepper)
• 1/2 tbsp chicken bouillon powder (or a pinch of MSG)

Instructions:

PREP INGREDIENTS

1. To a small mixing bowl, add the potato starch (or cornstarch) and make it flat. Gently add some cold water. Do NOT stir it. Let sit until you can’t see any bubbles.

2. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. About 1 inch long would be perfect. Transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mirin (1 tsp). Gently massage it.

3. Finely dice the bell peppers and green onions (make sure to include the white parts). Finely mince the garlic and ginger.

4. Make the sauce. In a separate container, mix together sugar, mirin, soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, water, white pepper, and chicken bouillon powder.

MAKE BATTER

1. Get back to the starch. If the water on top looks very clear and all the starchy settled down on the bottom, carefully empty out the water on top.

2. Take out the starch with your spoon and break it into pieces over your chicken. Mix everything together.

3. Add 1/2 of an egg white. Gently massage it.

TRIPLE-FRY CHICKEN & GLAZE

1. Fill your wok (or pot) with enough oil and heat it over medium heat. Once it reaches 170℃ (340℉), make sure to mix the chicken again and carefully add the chicken pieces.

2. Leave it alone for about 4 minutes or until they get crispy on the outside. Scoop it out, and hit it with a spatula. They will naturally separate from each other. Let rest on a cooling rack.

3. Do a second fry at 170℃ (340℉) for about 3 minutes. Remove from the oil and let rest on the cooling rack.

4. In a separate pan, add chili oil (2 tbsp). Once it gets nice and hot, add the vegetables and dried chilies. Saute for 1 minute or until fragrant. Pour the sauce and bring it to a boil. Once it’s bubbling away, turn the heat off and set aside.

5. Give it a triple fry at 170℃ (340℉) for about 3 minutes.

6. Bring the sauce back up to a boil. Once it starts to bubble up again, add the chicken and toss everything together for about 30 seconds over high heat. Turn the heat off. Add sesame oil (1 tsp) and toss together.

7. Garnish with cilantro (or green onions). Sprinkle on sesame seeds. Enjoy~!

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