Condiments and Sauces
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[Photographs: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]

Note: Kochukaru is a Korean chili flake that can be found in most Asian markets. Regular crushed red pepper or Chinese-style dried chili flakes can be used in its place.

Related Recipes

This sauce is intended to go with this recipe for Korean Fried Chicken »

About the author: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt is the Chief Creative Officer of Serious Eats where he likes to explore the science of home cooking in his weekly column The Food Lab. You can follow him at @thefoodlab on Twitter, or at The Food Lab on Facebook.

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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup mirin or other sweet rice cooking wine
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper (preferably Korean kochukaru, see note above)
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • 1/4 cup finely sliced scallions

Procedures

  1. Heat soy sauce, vinegar, mirin, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, crushed red pepper, and sesame oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Combine corn starch with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl and whisk into sauce. Bring to a boil and cook until sauce is slightly reduced and thickened, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Serve with Korean Fried Chicken.