From huraideu to yangnyeom, know where to find the crunchiest, most flavourful version of this dish for your next chicken and beer night
Whether it’s the crispy deep-fried one or the batterless version with thin, translucent skin, there is no doubt Filipinos are madly in love with fried chicken. So much so that popular restaurants and fast-food chains that specialises in this dish have stayed in the business for decades. Established in 1945, Max’s Restaurant has been serving their signature fried chicken marinated in a flavourful fish sauce-based marinade for more than 70 years. Fast-food giant Jollibee has been delighting families with its iconic Chikenjoy for years and years with its branches sprouting like mushrooms in the Philippines and abroad. Even international players like Popeye's, KFC and McDonald’s have invaded the dining scene and are continuously satisfying our cravings for this go-to dish.
As Korean culture continues to take the world by storm, its influence on Filipinos can be seen in almost every aspect including food. Explicitly showcased in Korean dramas, Korean food has gained a significant following in the country. Remember that sundubu-jjigae (soft tofu stew) served by Park Saeroyi (Park Seo-joon) in Itaewon Class? Or that tteokbokki eaten by Cha Eun-ho (Lee Jong-suk) in Romance is a Bonus Book? Or the chicken and beer combination seen on Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin’s Crash Landing On You, as well as on Kim Soo-hyun and Jun Ji-hyun’s My Love from the Stars?
These South Korean culinary treats, whether in ready-to-eat form or through raw ingredients, are now within every Filipino’s reach and people are going crazy about them.
See also: Have You Tried These Top 10 Food and Snacks from K-Dramas?
Referred to as chikin in South Korea (from the English word “chicken”), Korean fried chicken is consumed as a main course, as an appetiser or as a bar chow. The closest version to the crispy battered fried chicken that Filipinos are used to is called huraideu-chicken. But what makes this different from American or Filipino-style fried chicken?
According to The New York Times, it is “radically different, reflecting an Asian frying technique that renders out the fat in the skin, transforming it into a thin, crackly and almost transparent crust. The chicken is unseasoned, barely dredged in very fine flour and then dipped into a thin batter before going into the fryer. The oil temperature is a relatively low 350 degrees, and the chicken is cooked in two separate stages”, far from the Western variety that attributes its crispiness to the use of a thick, sometimes infused with buttermilk, batter. Korean fried chicken has a paper-thin crust that stays crunchy even after hours. The meat remains moist and never raw.
Tatler went around the metro to scout for the best Korean fried chicken dishes. Check the list below when the craving hits you and don’t forget to chill some beer and soju, too! Geonbae!
See also: Fried Chicken Bucket List: Have You Tried These 11 Variants From Around the World?
