Korean fried chicken, known as yangnyeom chicken, has become immensely popular worldwide in recent years. It differs from typical American fried chicken in that it is coated in a thick, sweet and spicy sauce, rather than just seasoned with spices. There are several reasons why Korean fried chicken has a sweet flavor profile.
Use of Corn Syrup in Batter
The batter used for Korean fried chicken often contains corn syrup or another sweetener like honey. This adds a subtle sweetness to the exterior of the chicken before frying. The corn syrup caramelizes in the hot oil, resulting in a glossy, sticky, sweet crust on the chicken. This sets Korean fried chicken apart from American styles that just use flour, salt, and pepper in the batter.
Sweet Chili Sauce Topping
While the batter provides some sweetness, the distinctive sweet and spicy sauce is what really defines yangnyeom chicken. The sauce is made by mixing something sweet, like sugar, honey, maple syrup or corn syrup, with something spicy, like chili paste or hot pepper flakes. The balance of sweet and heat is tailored to local tastes. More sugar mellows out the burn from the chilies. The thick sticky sauce coats each piece of fried chicken, simmering and caramelizing in the nooks and crannies of the crust. This is what gives Korean fried chicken its signature sticky, candied texture.
Traditional Korean Cuisine Features Sweet and Spicy Flavors
While American palates are used to salt, pepper, vinegar, and hot sauce on fried chicken, Korean cuisine traditionally balances sweet, savory, spicy, and sour flavors. Many popular dishes like bulgogi beef and dakgangjeong chicken are coated in sweet marinades. The sweet and spicy contrast is very characteristic of Korean food. So it makes sense that their take on fried chicken builds on that with a sweet chili glaze. The sugar balances out the heat, blending savory chicken with the familiar Korean flavor pairing.
Popularity of Fried Chicken and Beer
Fried chicken and beer are popular pairings in both America and Korea. Sweet flavors complement the light, crisp taste of lager beers very well. The sugar and spice gives fried chicken more complexity and flavor to stand up to beer’s bitterness. As fried chicken became a beloved pairing with beer in Korea, amping up the sweetness helped it match the beer even better. The sweeter profile really resonates with the Korean palate and beer-drinking culture.
Different Cooking Methods
Korean chicken is typically fried twice, which keeps it extra crunchy on the outside while the interior stays moist and tender. Frying twice in hot oil also further caramelizes the sweet batter and sauce. American fried chicken is often deep fried just once at lower temperatures for longer periods of time, resulting in less of that sticky caramelized exterior. So the cooking process for Korean-style chicken also amplifies its sweetness.
Innovation and Localization
Modern Korean fried chicken was first created in the 1970s by mixing American-style fried chicken with Korean garlic sauce and chili paste. Like many foods that spread globally, it was adapted to local tastes as it gained popularity. The balance of sweet and spicy flavors resonated in Korea and differentiated it from its American progenitor. Adding more sugar and corn syrup boosted the sweetness over time to cater to Korean diners. This local evolution resulted in the unique sweet and fiery yangnyeom chicken Koreans and others now can’t get enough of.
Conclusion
Korean fried chicken has clearly struck a chord with its craveable combination of crunchy, juicy chicken glazed in a sweet chili sauce. Frying the chicken twice keeps it crispy, while the corn syrup in the batter and the sticky sauce provide irresistible caramelized sweetness balanced by spice. The sweet and spicy profile aligns with long-standing Korean culinary traditions. While initially inspired by American fried chicken, innovating with sweeter flavors tailored it to Korean tastes and helped make it a phenomenal global success story. The next time your fingers get sticky eating yangnyeom chicken, you’ll know there’s a delicious blend of Korean innovation and flavor tradition behind the signature sweet heat.
Here is a summary of the key points:
- Corn syrup is added to the batter to make it sweet before frying
- Yangnyeom chicken features a thick sauce made with sugar and chili paste
- Sweet and spicy is a traditional flavor pairing in Korean cuisine
- Sugar complements the light, crisp taste of Korean beer
- Frying chicken twice caramelizes the sweet batter and sauce
- Korean chefs innovated American fried chicken to better suit local tastes
So in short, Korean fried chicken has a sweet flavor profile due to the cooking methods used, the balance of flavors in Korean cuisine, and ongoing innovations by Korean chefs and restaurants to make the chicken match the local palate and be the perfect pairing for beer. The sweet and spicy yangnyeom chicken Koreans love today is the product of creatively adapting traditional American fried chicken to suit Korean tastes over the past several decades.