Korean fried-chicken sandwich. (ARTISANAL MATTE BLACK DIPPING BOWL, $5 THROUGH WWW.INDIGO.CA.)LIAM MOGAN
The hot dog buns created for this recipe are tinted with squid ink, though cuttlefish ink will work as well. You will get 10 buns out of the dough, or shape the mixture into balls before flattening them to create hamburger rolls instead. Gochujang is a sweet Korean chili paste. If it's not available, substitute sriracha to your taste.
Servings: 4 to 6
FOR THE SQUID INK HOT DOG BUNS
DOUGH
2 tsp active dry yeast
¾ cup warm milk
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp plus 2 tsp squid or cuttlefish ink
2 large eggs
1 tsp salt
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading and shaping
¼ cup unsalted butter
TO FINISH
3 tbsp melted butter
1 large egg
Pinch salt
1 tsp water
1/3 cup black or white sesame seeds
FOR THE KOREAN CHICKEN
5 large boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 small onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup gochujang (Korean chili paste)
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup honey
½ tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 large eggs
½ cup flour
2/3 cup cornstarch
Oil for deep frying
1 large bunch watercress, washed
1 cup mayonnaise
Toasted sesame seeds
Shredded nori
Salt and pepper
Method
FOR THE SQUID INK HOT DOG BUNS
In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over milk and let dissolve for 5 minutes. In another bowl, combine honey, ink and eggs. Mix well. In a large bowl, combine salt and flour. Add the milk and ink mixtures, and the butter, to the flour mixture and combine with a wooden spoon. Turn onto a clean, well-floured surface. Knead, adding more flour as necessary until dough is smooth and springy, around 4 minutes.
Place 1 tbsp of melted butter in a large clean bowl. Add dough and turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, around 2 hours.
Turn dough onto a clean, floured surface and knock down. Divide dough into 10 equal pieces. Flatten a piece of dough into a small rectangle, and roll it up into a long cylinder, about 6 inches long, tapering the ends slightly. Repeat with remaining dough. Place buns on a parchment-lined baking sheet in 2 rows, equally spaced, with the seams down. Brush with 2 tbsp of melted butter. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size (1 to 2 hours).
Preheat oven to 350 F.
To finish, in a small bowl, combine egg, salt and water. Brush on buns and sprinkle generously with sesame seeds. Bake in lower third of oven until buns sound hollow when tapped. Drizzle with remaining butter and allow to cool.
Makes 10 buns.
FOR THE KOREAN CHICKEN
Slice each chicken thigh into 6 strips. Mix with onion and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
In a small bowl, mix gochujang, ketchup, honey, sesame oil and lemon juice. In another bowl, mix eggs and 2 tbsp of the gochujang mixture. In a third bowl, mix flour and cornstarch, season with salt and pepper. In a large pot, heat oil to 350 F.
Working in batches, dip the chicken in the egg, then the cornstarch mixture. Deep fry until golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining chicken.
To build sandwiches, spread mayonnaise on each bun, dress with watercress, chicken and gochujang mixture. Garnish with sesame seeds and nori shreds.