Kitchn and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability are subject to change.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter
Esther Choi has her hand in many pots. She’s an award-winning chef, restaurant owner, cookbook author, Food Network host, and now creator of Sessy, her own brand of condiments. And her Korean roots have had a huge influence on all of it.
Her pantry is always stocked with rice, gochujang, and soy sauce — the latter two from her own range. “Growing up in my halmoni’s (Korean for grandmother’s) kitchen and running NYC restaurants taught me that Korean cooking starts with the foundations. So I created Sessy, launching with gochujang, sesame oil, and soy sauce, the building blocks of Korean cuisine,” Choi says. The inspiration behind the name? “Sessy is sexy and sassy, just like my energy in the kitchen.”
Credit: Courtesy of Esther Choi
Korean cuisine features an array of flavors, textures, and techniques. Choi enjoys cooking for family and friends, and their favorite dish is hands-down her kimchi jjigae. You can find the Korean dishes she grew up making with her grandmother and more in her upcoming cookbook, Hand Taste, launching on October 27.
If you’re looking to get into Korean cooking, Choi recommends starting with kimchi fried rice. “It’s forgiving, delicious, and a great way to use leftover rice,” she says. Her favorite is Pulmuone’s kimchi, which she also uses as a shortcut to elevate store-bought meals. “It brings so much flavor immediately,” she says. “Put it on a sandwich, chop it into fried rice, add it to noodles, or even use some of the kimchi juice in a sauce or dressing.” Besides kimchi, another popular staple is Korean fried chicken. And with football season well underway, who better than Choi to tell us what goes into making the ultimate fried chicken?
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter
Secrets to the Best Korean Fried Chicken
“Korean fried chicken is all about contrast,” says Choi. “You want that incredibly thin, crispy exterior with juicy chicken underneath, and then a sauce that brings a ton of flavor without destroying the crunch you just worked so hard to create. Technique really matters.” Here are her tips for mastering the method so you get perfectly crispy Korean fried chicken every time.
1. Pre-season the chicken.
Don’t just rely on the spices and seasonings in your breading or sauce. “I like seasoning the chicken ahead of time so the flavor isn’t only coming from the sauce at the end,” Choi says. “The exact marinade or brine depends on the recipe, but you want enough time for the seasoning to penetrate the chicken without adding so much moisture that it works against you when frying.”
2. Remove excess moisture.
“Moisture is the enemy when you’re trying to get something really crisp,” Choi says, so use a light hand when you’re dredging your chicken, and don’t go too heavy on the marinade or brine time. Use just enough buttermilk just to ensure the dry mixture sticks. “You also don’t want an overly heavy coating — the beauty of Korean fried chicken is that really delicate crunch,” she says, so use a light touch.
3. Control your oil.
Choi recommends starting off with a neutral oil with a high smoke point, and, most importantly, using a thermometer. “Home cooks sometimes get intimidated by deep-frying, but temperature control makes such a difference,” she says. Not throwing all your chicken in at once is also key. “Don’t overcrowd the pot because that drops the oil temperature, and let the oil come back up to temperature between batches,” Choi says. Be careful when adding chicken to hot oil — place it away from you in the far side of the pan to prevent any splatter.
4. Double fry the chicken.
While it might take a little bit more effort, Choi says this step is essential for getting that deliciously audible crunch when you bite into the chicken. “The first fry cooks the chicken and establishes the crust, and the second helps drive out additional moisture and gives you that signature crunch,” she says.
5. Balance is everything.
“You want savory, sweet, spicy, and acidic elements working together,” Choi says. “I love coating the chicken in Nasoya’s K-Town Korean Gochujang Dressing for an easy hit of that sweet and spicy flavor — just enough to coat the chicken without losing that perfect crunch.” But make sure you don’t sauce it too aggressively. “You can make the crispiest wing in the world and then completely undo it by letting it sit under too much sauce.”
Further Reading
These Impossibly Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts Rival Any Restaurant’s
I Tested 7 Ways to Hard-Boil Eggs and Found a Clear Winner
The Ina Garten Recipes We’re Cooking for Fall
Dining and Cooking