A delicious Korean corn dog recipe to bring Korean street food into your kitchen!
Ah, Korean hot dogs, also known as gamja hot dogs, and in their native language, you’ll find them as “핫도그” which simply translates to “hot dog”. At this point, I think it’s almost unnecessary to introduce this recipe of sausage on a stick that has literally gone around the world since the rise of Korean dramas.
At the same time, cheese corn dogs fulfill all the modern visual codes of Instagrammable food: crispy, colorful, cheesy. In short, the perfect mix of Asian inspiration and American decadence.
Unfortunately for us consumers: it’s very easy to make them visually appealing with a completely bland taste. I won’t name names, but some restaurants should be ashamed to attach the name “homemade Korean cuisine” to their establishments, or even “cuisine” at all.
The difference between Korean and American corn dogs
For those lucky enough to have already visited the US, you’ve certainly come across traditional corn dogs. The differences between Korean corn dogs and classic corn dogs are the use of panko breadcrumbs, a sweeter batter, and a touch of sugar sprinkled after frying.
Unlike traditional American corn dogs, Korean corn dog batter doesn’t contain cornmeal. Additionally, the filling isn’t limited to sausages, as we’ll see later in the article.
Tips for Successful Korean Corn Dogs
Usually, I don’t go into too much detail on the tips section, but since we’re talking about batter, coating, breadcrumbs, skewers, etc., I preferred to elaborate a bit on this section to guarantee you a divine Korean street food experience
Dip the batter in a glass: To avoid getting your hands dirty, pour the batter into a tall, narrow glass or container and dip your skewers in it. This method works better with thick skewers or wooden chopsticks. If the batter is too thick, the topping may come off, so be careful.
Roll in the batter: Roll the skewers in the batter, turning them to coat well. You can also shape the batter by hand around the filling, but it can be a bit (very) sticky.
Prevent the filling from falling off: Place a small piece of sausage at the end of the skewer to keep the mozzarella in place.
Deep frying vs. shallow frying: Deep frying is ideal for a nice round shape, as the oil allows the batter to be suspended. With shallow frying in a pan, the batter can flatten and the cheese can escape if you’re not careful.
The shape doesn’t hold:
- Make sure there’s enough batter around the skewer, but not too much either.
- Don’t leave too much time between the panko coating and frying. Ideally no time at all, you coat and bam, straight into the boiling oil
- Check that the oil is at the right temperature.
Well-browned Korean hot dogs:
- Fry between 160 and 170°C to get a perfectly golden crust.
- Use a ladle to pour hot oil over the parts floating above to ensure even cooking.
Alternative filling ideas
Koreans are very creative. As such, you can find a whole range of different fillings inside Korean corn dogs:
- Spicy sausage
- Spam: an industrial meat similar to ham loved by Koreans
- Squid
- Fish cakes
- Tteok (Korean rice cake): the same as in the tteokbokki recipe
- Potato
Baking powder or traditional yeast?
Schools of thought vary, personally for the sake of speed I prefer without (using baking powder). In which case, you’ll have to wait a few hours for the dough to rise. Some people like the slight aftertaste brought by yeast. Moreover, it makes the dough stickier which facilitates coating.
But again, in Korea you’ll see both, and in my case, I like to minimize the time between preparing a delicious dish and its entry into my mouth.
The main ingredients of Korean Corn Dogs
Sausages: Use the ones you prefer. Hot dog type, Strasbourg sausage, etc.
Flour: Don’t use self-rising flour, just all-purpose flour
Panko: Japanese breadcrumbs essential for binding the toppings and batter with a delicious crispy coating. It’s the same as for tonkatsu pork
Diced potatoes: what’s great in France is that they’re already sold frozen. Very convenient if you like this topping
Ramen noodles: Same as potatoes, use packets of instant ramen which will work very well
Corn flakes: classic oat flakes
Sauces: American inspiration obliges, I mention “yellow mustard”, but you can also use more traditional toppings like yakisoba sauce, teriyaki sauce or tonkatsu sauce
Authentic Korean Corn Dog – Tokkebi
Matériel
- 4 Brochettes en bambou or wooden
Ingredients
- 4 hot dog style sausages
- 250 g of mozzarella
For the Corn Dog batter:
- 150 g of all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 100 ml of milk whole
- 1 egg
For the toppings:
- 100 g of panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 handful of potatoes diced
- 1 package of ramen noodles uncooked, roughly crumbled
- 1 handful of cornflakes roughly crushed
For frying:
- 1 liter of frying oil
Sauces
- Yellow mustard
- Ketchup
Procédé
Preparation
- Make sure the wooden skewers chosen are suitable for the size of the pot you will use for frying. If necessary, cut the skewers to the appropriate length.
- Soak in water for 30 minutes
- Cut the sausages and mozzarella into pieces suitable for the size of the skewers. Thread a piece of sausage first, then a piece of mozzarella, alternating. Repeat until the skewer is filled.4 hot dog style sausages, 250 g of mozzarella
- Pour the panko breadcrumbs into a deep plate.100 g of panko breadcrumbs
- Also prepare the optional toppings (potatoes, ramen noodles, cornflakes) in separate containers.1 handful of potatoes, 1 package of ramen noodles, 1 handful of cornflakes
Frying
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and baking powder.150 g of all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Beat the egg, then add it to the dry mixture.1 egg
- Gradually add the milk while mixing until you get a smooth and homogeneous batter.100 ml of milk
- Pour the batter into a deep plate to facilitate coating.
- Pour the oil into a large pot and heat over medium heat. The temperature should reach about 160-170°C. Once the temperature is reached, reduce the heat to maintain this constant temperature.1 liter of frying oil
- Hold a skewer in one hand and, using a chopstick, spread the batter evenly around the sausage.
- Quickly roll the coated skewer in the chosen toppings (potatoes, ramen noodles, or cornflakes).
- Coat it with panko breadcrumbs, pressing lightly to make them adhere.
- Gently lower the skewer into the hot oil and let it fry for 3 to 5 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. Baste the skewer with hot oil using a spoon during cooking for even coloring.
- Remove the skewer from the oil when it’s golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
- Lightly sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with ketchup and mustard.2 tablespoons powdered sugar, Yellow mustard, Ketchup
