Sweet sour spicy Korean fried chicken

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken wings
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup potato starch
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

For the sauce

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup rice syrup
• 1/4 cup gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• corn (or vegetable) oil for frying

Directions

Start the first fry

1. Heat 2 inches of oil in a large heavy frying pan or pot over medium hight heat for about 10 to 12 minutes until the oil temperature reaches 330-350ºF. I used my 12 inch pan but if your pan is smaller, work by batches. If you don’t have a thermometer, test it by dipping one piece of chicken in the oil. If it bubbles, it is ready.
2. While the oil is heating, combine chicken, salt, ground black pepper, starch, flour, baking soda, and eggs in a large bowl. Mix altogether well by hand.
3. Add the coated chicken to hot oil one by one. Fry them for 12 minutes until the all sides of the chicken are golden brown and crunchy, turning over with tongs.
   
4. Take out the chicken with tongs or a large slotted spoon to wire strainer over a bowl to remove the excess oil.
   

Make seasoning sauce

1. Heat the 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Stir in garlic until light brown for about 30 seconds. Add the ketchup, rice syrup, gochujang, vinegar and stir well with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to low and stir until bubbling. Remove from the heat.

Start the second fry

1. Let the oil heat up for 2 minutes over medium high heat until it reaches 330-350ºF.
2. Fry the chicken one more time, turning over with tongs for about another 12 minutes until very crunchy.
3. Reheat the sauce over medium high heat until it’s bubbling again. Add all the hot crunchy chicken and mix well with a wooden spoon and tongs.
   

Finish and serve

1. Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and transfer to a serving plate. Serve with chicken-mu (pickled radish) on the side, if you have it.