Cheesy Korean Rice Corn Dogs

With Korean culture on the rise, a lot of people are falling in love with Korean food as well.

Korean corn dogs are a wildly popular street food. They are mostly found across markets in Seoul but have also gained popularity in North America and Europe.

If you are curious about making Korean street food in the comfort of your home, this simple recipe will only take a few minutes to make. This recipe resembles a popular chain food stall called Chung Chun Rice Dog.

What is a Korean Corndog?

Korean corn dogs are a salty and sweet street food coated in different toppings and deep fried. They are also known as 핫도그 (hot dogeu) which means hot dog. Although they have similar names, Korean corn dogs differ from the American corn dogs that we know.

They are rice cakes, hot dogs, fish cakes, or mozzarella cheese covered in batter then coated in crushed ramen, panko breadcrumbs, or french fry pieces. They are then deep fried and garnished with sugar, ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, or any other sauces. They are deliciously sweet and salty.

Some Korean corn dogs are made with glutinous rice flour and some from a yeasted batter. Also, there are different variations of Korean corn dogs ranging from hot dog, half-and-half dogs, and mozzarella to ones coated with potato chunks on the outside.

How are Korean Corn Dogs Different from Corn Dogs?

There are several differences between corn dogs and Korean corn dogs. The main one is in the batter. While Korean corn dogs are dipped in a glutinous rice flour batter, American corn dogs are dipped in a batter made of cornmeal.

A coating of sugar can be used to finish Korean corn dogs. Additionally, hot dogs are not a necessity for Korean corn dogs. Many Korean corn dogs are nothing more than rice cakes, fish cakes, or mozzarella cheese. Full mozzarella is my personal favorite!

There are topping choices, including french fries, ramen noodles, panko bread crumbs, and cornflakes. After it has been fried, the Korean corn dog is covered in sugar and topped with ketchup and mayonnaise or your choice in sauces.

Ingredients

• 200g all-purpose flour
• 150g glutinous rice flour
• Pinch of salt
• 60g sugar
• 8g instant yeast
• 300ml warm water
• 6 skewers
• 3 hotdogs
• 6 sticks of low-moisture Mozzarella
• Frying oil
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 large potato(finely cubed)
• 1 cup cornflakes
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• Sauces (mayonnaise, sugar ketchup and mustard, etc.)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix together flour, glutinous rice flour, salt. Then in a separate bowl, add yeast, warm water, and sugar. Stir to combine and allow the yeast to activate. Once the yeast mixture has become foamy, add to the dry ingredients and mix well. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
2. Cut each hotdog in half. Skewer the hotdog, and then mozzarella. Preheat your frying oil to 350F/175C.
3. Once the dough has risen, cover each skewer in dough completely making sure there are no openings. Use damp fingers to push the dough into place. This part can be tricky. Coat each corndog in your choice of coating, but always ending with panko.
4. Deep-fry each skewer for around 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately roll in granulated sugar and drizzle with your choice of sauce. Enjoy!

Korean Corn Dog vs. American Corn

Several things differentiate Korean corn dogs and American corn dogs.

a) Ingredients

To start with, American corn dogs are made with corn meal and use eggs as a binder, while Korean versions are made from a yeasted batter, which is coated in panko bread crumbs.

Another difference is that Korean corn dogs sometimes add potatoes to the batter to make french fries. You will hardly see an American corn dog like that. Also, occasionally it has added sugar or uses fish cake and rice cake instead of a hot dog.

Lastly, the Korean corn dog has mozzarella sticks which makes the texture different with the stringy gooey cheese goodness.

b) Batter

A Korean corn dog has a light crispy and chewy batter, while American corn dogs have a doughnut-like batter. In addition, Korean corn dog versions use glutinous rice flour batter, while American corn dogs use cornmeal batter.

c) Toppings

The American version is only coated in batter, while the Korean version has different toppings. Also, after coating the hot dog in batter, the Korean corn dog is dipped in potato cubes, crushed ramen, panko bread crumbs, or cornflakes.

After it is deep fried to a golden brown color, the corn dog is coated with sugar.

d) Filling

The filling of a Korean corn dog is not only sausages and hot dogs, but it can also be filled with Korean rice cake, cheese, spam, squid, and fish cakes.

Types of Skewers for your Korean Corndog Recipe

Although the skewers could be a minor detail, there are many options. Some of the types include:

a). Thick Bamboo Skewers

These are mainly used for candy apples, but we could use them as Korean corn dog skewers because they are easy to hold and thick. Also, once washed, they are reusable. A skewer that is too thick may cause problems when trying to pierce the mozzarella.

b). Standard Grilling Skewers

These are skinny, but they will still do the job. If the bamboo skewers are longer, you can trim them to your preferred length. They are easy to pierce through the ingredients as well.

c). Bamboo Disposable Chopsticks

These are the best for making Korean corn dogs since they are sturdy, thick, and reusable.

Tips for Making the Perfect Korean Corn Dogs

1. Use the Right Skewers

The type of skewers you use will matter because if they are too thin, they won't comfortably hold up your Korean corn dog. Instead, use a thick wooden skewer or a disposable wooden chopstick. However, wooden skewers are better because they have a pointy tip. A skewer that is too thick may cause problems when trying to pierce the mozzarella.

2. Use the Right Mozzarella Cheese

For cheese, using low-moisture mozzarella blocks is important. For example, the string cheese blocks mozzarella, which is cut into sticks and will be more melty and stretchy. Traditional mozzarella packed in liquid will not work.

3. Potatoes

Another well-liked coating for Korean corn dogs is chopped-up fries or cubed potatoes. They are known as gamja hotdogs and are a delicious combination of fries and corn dogs. Roll your battered hot dog in chopped-up frozen french fries or cubed potatoes and panko, then fry as usual.

4. Batter

Ensure you measure your batter ingredients and test the recipe until you achieve the perfect measurements for an easy-to-manage batter. It will be challenging to assemble the Korean corn dogs if the batter is too runny. It will be challenging to wrap it around the skewer if it's too thick. Use clean and slightly damp hands to help push the batter into place.

5. Don't Skip the Sugar

The sweet and salty flavor combination makes Korean corn dogs delicious, even though the sugar coating may appear weird to some people. It is delicious!

6. Ensure the Potatoes Stick

This is most likely the most difficult step in the process. You'll need to use your hands to tightly pack it all in because it's not as simple as rolling it in the potatoes. It's easier to pack everything in with your hands.

Before you roll the battered corn dog through the small cubes of potatoes, you should pat the poatoes dry with paper towels. Then, you can toss your potatoes through cornstarch to get an even better stick.

Also, ensure the potatoes are small enough to cook through when you fry them.

7. Frying

As soon as you finish assembling the Korean corn dog, place the corn dogs in the fryer. If you try to put them all together first, then fry them, they won't keep their shape.

Since the temperature is important when deep frying, you should use a thermometer, the perfect temperature will create a fully-cooked corn dog that is golden on the outside.

To check the oil temperature, you need to place the skewer into the oil:

• If there are no bubbles, the oil is not hot enough
• If the oil starts bubbling around your chopstick lightly then you are ready to fry
• If the oil looks like it's boiling around your chopstick, then the oil is too hot

How to Best Store Korean Corn Dog

Eating these cheesy Korean corn dogs right away is better to enjoy the delicious, melty cheese and extra crispy crunch. However, you can prepare it in advance.

You can store your Korean corn dog in the fridge for up to two days in an airtight container.

You may quickly freeze these into a zip bag if you want to save any later, or you can store them in the freezer for about two months.

To reheat, use an air fryer to restore the crispy exterior.

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