Korean Corn Dog

Recipe: A Step-By-Step Guide To The Crispy, Cheesy Street Food Sensation

 If you are a fan of Korean cuisine, this recipe is something that you’ll be making again and again! This Korean street food dish has a hot dog and mozzarella cheese skewer, covered in a soft, slightly sweet batter and rolled in crunchy panko breadcrumbs. With a crispy outside and a fluffier inside, this Korean Corn Dog recipe has a gooey cheese pull. If you’ve ever been to Korea, you’ll see that it is one of the most popular treats that one can find in Seoul's streets, with almost all the food vendors. With rising popularity, this Korean recipe has now found many takers across the world. Try this crowd-favourite among popular Korean recipes.

For the Corn Dogs:

• 3 jumbo hot dogs

• 6 wooden chopsticks

• 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs

• Vegetable oil, for frying

• Ketchup and mayonnaise, for serving

• Mozzarella cheese, cut into 3-inch lengths matching the width of the hot dog

For the Batter:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon yeast

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 egg

• ¾ cup low-fat milk

First, take a bowl and combine the yeast, brown sugar and milk. Combine gently until the sugar and yeast are completely dissolved into the milk and the mixture is smooth and well blended. This is a crucial activation step for the batter because it assists in creating that light, airy texture that the batter will have after a period of rest. Take your time while stirring, since how you stir now will result in creating a perfectly textured corn dog coating later.

Take another bowl and add the all-purpose flour, egg and salt. Whisk until well combined. Be sure to stir the egg thoroughly until it is evenly distributed through the mixture and there are no streaks or pockets visible. Good whisking is important because it makes it easier to coat the hot dogs evenly and smoothly with the batter. It also ensures that your hot dog gets a uniform and professional appearance.

Add the milk-yeast mix, which is the wet mixture, to the bowl with the dry batter. Be careful not to pour it in too quickly. Gently mix with a spoon, moving in one direction only, until the flour is thoroughly incorporated and there are no more lumps. After mixing thoroughly, allow the batter to rest undisturbed for about 10 minutes. This will give the yeast time to activate. After this rest, you will finally achieve that bready texture.

Cut the mozzarella cheese into 3-inch pieces to match the width of the jumbo hot dogs for a more even and balanced bite. Divide each hot dog in half and insert one half along with one piece of cheese onto a wooden chopstick, placing the cheese above the hot dog. The placement is important because it allows each bite to provide that iconic, gooey cheese pull Korean corn dogs are known for, making it both visually appealing and tasty.

Pour your mixture into a tall glass or shallow pan, whichever you prefer for dipping the skewers. Place a hotdog-cheese stick into the batter, hold it firmly, and dangle and roll it slowly and continuously in a single direction until completely and evenly coated. There should be no gaps or uncovered sections. A uniform coating is essential for that crispy, uniform crust that comes after frying in hot oil.

Immediately transfer the batter-coated skewer directly to a plate or bowl of panko breadcrumbs while the batter is still wet and sticky. Roll it gently and apply the breadcrumbs to all sides, making sure to cover every side with breadcrumbs and avoid any bare spots. When fried, this layer makes the crispy, textured coating that makes Korean corn dogs so popular, while the interior of the corn dog is soft, cheesy and bready.

Warm the oil in the pan or pot over low heat until it is gradually hot enough for frying. After the oil is hot, gently place prepared corn dogs in the oil and fry them until golden brown on one side and then turn them over and fry the other side. Keeping the heat low allows the inside of the corn dog to cook fully without burning the outside. When lightly browned on all sides, remove the corn dogs, drain them on a paper towel and serve warm with a drizzle of ketchup or mayonnaise.

Make this Korean corn dog recipe at home, so you don't have to go to Seoul to experience one of the city's most favourite street foods. This treat is so popular because of its gooey mozzarella filling that pulls, fluffy batter, and crispy panko shell. You can make these for a weekend snack or serve them at a casual gathering to impress. Serve hot with a drizzle of mayo or ketchup sauce and see it disappear in minutes.