Crash Landing On You course in Korean fried chicken

Craving for Korean fried chicken after binge-watching South Korean drama Crash Landing On You?

Cook the dish yourself and savour it while you rewatch your favourite scenes.

I chose to use Beksul Fried Chicken Powder from a Korean grocery store. It is labelled Fried Chicken Mix in English on the packet.

The packaging does not come with instructions in English. But with the help of translation apps and some experimenting, I have come up with a recipe that any home cook should be able to replicate with ease.

I recommend using fresh chicken - I got mine from the wet market - and marinating it overnight.

Similar to making the batter for tempura, it is best to use ice water for a lighter and crispier crust. Use a light-coloured oil such as olive oil and fry the chicken twice as the eventual crust will be optimally crispy.

INGREDIENTS

• 1kg of fresh chicken (four drumsticks, four thighs and three chicken wings)
• 2 flat tsp salt
• 2 flat tsp Korean dried ground garlic (or substitute with 3 minced garlic cloves)
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp Korean cooking wine
• 1.7 litres olive oil
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges (for garnish)

FOR THE BATTER

• 200g Korean fried chicken powder (Fried Chicken Mix)
• 1 flat tsp Korean dried ground garlic
• 340ml ice water

FOR DREDGING

• 200g Korean fried chicken powder (Fried Chicken Mix)

METHOD

1. Rinse the chicken thoroughly and pat with kitchen towels.

2. Place the chicken in a deep dish.

3. Use a thin skewer to lightly pierce each piece of meat. This allows the marinade to better penetrate it.

4. Add the salt, dried ground garlic, ground black pepper and cooking wine. Mix well and massage the marinade into the meat.

5. Cover the dish with clingwrap and allow to marinate at least four hours, preferably overnight.

6. Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.

7. In a sturdy pot, add the oil. The amount of oil will vary depending on the pot you are using. Use sufficient oil to get a depth of 5cm so that the chicken can be completely submerged during frying. Heat the oil while you prepare the batter and flour for dredging.

8. To prepare the batter, place the Korean fried chicken powder and dried ground garlic in a mixing bowl.

9. Add the ice water and whisk the mixture until the flour is dissolved and the batter is smooth.

10. Place the remaining 200g of Korean fried chicken powder in a dish.

11. Once the oil has reached a temperature of 165 deg C, prepare the chicken for deep-frying.

12. Dip each piece of chicken in the batter, then dredge it thoroughly in the flour. Shake off any excess flour and gently place the chicken in the oil.

13. Fry the chicken for eight minutes. Cook four to five pieces of chicken at a time so that each piece can cook evenly.

14. Remove the chicken from the oil and place on wire rack.

15. Once all the pieces are fried, heat the oil to 165 deg C again.

16. Place the chicken in the oil to fry for another two minutes.

17. Remove the chicken and place on wire rack to drain off excess oil.

18. Serve immediately with a wedge of lemon.

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