‘Gangjeong’ originally refers to a type of traditional Korean confectionery made by tossing glutinous rice flour with honey and malt. The name ‘Dakgangjeong’ comes from the similarity in its cooking method to gangjeong, where fried chicken is tossed into a sweet and spicy mix made with generous amounts of corn syrup. It is very similar to Korean fried chicken or KKanpunggi, which are found at local Korean or Chinese restaurants, but the big difference that sets it apart from them comes from the crispiness that lasts even after it has gone cold. It’s considered a classic street food in Korea, and it’s also great served as a party platter or snacks for drinks. There are some famous dakgangjeong brands regionally, such as Incheon’s Sinpo Dakgangjeong and Sokcho’s Mansuk Dakgangjeong. Dakgangjeong can also be easily found in shopping malls, convenience stores, or Korean style diners. It’s also a popular delivery menu to be enjoyed at home.
Dip the drumstick or chicken breast in a bowl of milk for about two hours in the fridge to remove poultry smell.
After draining the milk completely, cut the chicken into bite sized pieces, and add the salt, pepper, minced garlic and ginger. Marinate the mix for 20-30 minutes.
Directions
Combine all the sauce ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low once the sauce starts boiling, and stir for about 3-4 minutes or until the sauce becomes thick.
Evenly coat the chicken with potato or corn starch, and fry over medium heat in a preheated pot of sunflower seed oil for 4-5 minutes. Cook until the chicken turns golden, then place them onto a sheet of paper towel laid over a plate to absorb access oil.
On low heat, add the fried chicken pieces to the sauce and mix for 1-2 minutes. Once all the pieces are covered in sauce, sprinkle the crushed peanuts on top for a final touch before serving on a plate.
Recipe Note
･ You may substitute starch syrup with honey.
･ Adjust the amount of starch syrup or honey to taste.
