Korean-Style Buffalo Wings

1kg chicken wings

Cornflour, for coating

Vegetable oil, for deep frying

The Marinade

½ onion, roughly chopped

20g ginger, roughly chopped

5 garlic cloves

200ml buttermilk

1 tablespoon mirin

½ tablespoon light soy sauce

The Buffalo Glaze

75g butter

1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes)

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

4 tablespoons buffalo hot sauce

1 tablespoon mirin

2 tablespoons honey

To Finish

2 spring onions, finely sliced

PREPARATION

1. Blend the onion, ginger, garlic, buttermilk, mirin and light soy sauce into a smooth marinade. Coat the chicken wings thoroughly and marinate for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight.

2. Season plenty of cornflour with salt and black pepper. 

3. Coat each marinated wing individually in the seasoned cornflour, shaking off any excess.

COOKING

4. Heat the vegetable oil to 180°C in a deep wok or saucepan.

5. Fry the wings for 10–12 minutes, lowering the heat slightly after the first minute so they cook through evenly.

6. Remove and drain on a wire rack while the oil returns to 180°C.

7. Melt the butter in a wok over a medium heat.

8. Stir in the gochugaru, then add the light soy sauce and buffalo hot sauce. Bring to a vigorous boil before adding the mirin and honey. Simmer until the glaze becomes glossy and syrupy, then remove from the heat.

9. Fry the wings a second time for 1 minute, until deep golden and extra crispy.

10. Transfer the hot wings to a large bowl.

11. Pour over the buffalo glaze and toss until evenly coated.

12. Garnish with the sliced spring onions and serve immediately.

School of Wok Tips

 Marinating the wings overnight gives the garlic and ginger time to fully flavour the chicken.

 Coat each wing individually for the crispiest possible finish.

 Double-frying creates the signature blistered Korean fried chicken texture.

 Remove the glaze from the heat once it's syrupy—it will continue to thicken as it cools.

FAQs

Can I use drumettes instead of whole wings?

Yes, drumettes, wingettes or a mixture all work equally well. Just adjust the cooking time if using larger pieces.

Why use buttermilk?

Buttermilk tenderises the chicken while helping the cornflour coating stick for an extra-crispy finish.

Can I make these less spicy?

Yes, reduce the amount of gochugaru or buffalo sauce, or increase the honey slightly for a sweeter, milder glaze.