Korean Fried Chicken Wings

Source: America's Test Kitchen

SERVES Serves 4 to 6 as a main dish.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon garlic, minced to paste
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1-3/4 cups water
3 tablespoons sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons gochujang
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 quarts vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 pounds chicken wings, cut at joints, wingtips discarded

Directions

Combine sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in large bowl and microwave until mixture is bubbly and garlic and ginger are fragrant but not browned, 40 to 60 seconds. Whisk in 1/4 cup water, sugar, gochujang, and soy sauce until smooth; set aside.
Heat vegetable oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. While oil heats, whisk flour, cornstarch, and remaining 1-1⁄2 cups water in second large bowl until smooth. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
Place half of wings in batter and stir to coat. Using tongs, remove wings from batter one at a time, allowing any excess batter to drip back into bowl, and add to hot oil. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent wings from sticking, until coating is light golden and beginning to crisp, about 7 minutes. (Oil temperature will drop sharply after adding wings.) Transfer wings to prepared rack. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining wings. Reduce heat to medium and let second batch of wings rest for 5 minutes.
Heat oil to 375 degrees. Carefully return all wings to oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown and very crispy, about 7 minutes. Return wings to rack and let stand for 2 minutes. Transfer wings to reserved sauce and toss until coated. Return wings to rack and let stand for 2 minutes to allow coating to set. Transfer to platter and serve.

Notes

A rasp-style grater makes quick work of turning the garlic into a paste. Our favorite rasp-style grater is the Microplane Classic Zester Grater.

Gochujang can be found in Asian markets and in some supermarkets. Tailor the heat level of your wings by adjusting its amount. If you can’t find gochujang, substitute an equal amount of Sriracha sauce and add only 2 tablespoons of water to the sauce. For a complete meal, serve with steamed white rice and a slaw.