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Loading...A beloved Korean street-food classic, this crispy deep-fried snack platter combines sweet potato, zucchini, shrimp, fish cake, and perilla leaves in a light, bubbly batter. Served hot with a tangy soy dipping sauce, it is the perfect shareable appetizer for casual gatherings. The ice-cold sparkling water batter creates an extra-crispy shell that stays light, not greasy.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time45 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 485 kcalCalories
- 22 gFat
- 3 gSaturated Fat
- 54 gCarbs
- 4 gFiber
- 6 gSugar
- 15 gProtein
- 720 mgSodium
- 620 mgPotassium
- 80 mgCalcium
- 3.2 mgIron
- 18 mgVitamin C
- 280 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup ice-cold sparkling water
- 1 large egg yolk
For the dipping sauce (cho-ganjang style)
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp minced yellow onion
- 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 tbsp chopped scallion
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
For the snacks
- 1 medium sweet potato, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 1 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
- 1 small yellow onion, sliced into 1/2-inch rings
- 6 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 oz Korean fish cake (eomuk), sliced into strips
- 8 fresh perilla leaves (kkaennip)
- 6 medium shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed
- 4 cups neutral frying oil (rice bran or canola)
Directions
- Prepare all ingredients: slice the sweet potato, zucchini, onion, fish cake, and mushrooms, then pat them completely dry with paper towels; moisture prevents the batter from sticking.
- Make the dipping sauce by whisking together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, minced onion, gochugaru, scallion, and sesame seeds in a small bowl; set aside to let the flavors meld.
- Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a heavy pot or wok to 350°F (175°C), using a thermometer to maintain a steady temperature throughout frying.
- Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl, then add the egg yolk and ice-cold sparkling water all at once; stir just until a lumpy, thin batter forms; do not overmix, and keep the bowl over a larger bowl of ice to stay cold.
- Working in small batches, dip each piece into the batter, let excess drip off, and lower gently into the hot oil; fry vegetables first (sweet potato, zucchini, onion, mushrooms, perilla leaves) for 2 to 3 minutes until pale golden and crisp.
- Fry the fish cake strips and shrimp next, about 2 to 3 minutes for the fish cake and 2 minutes for the shrimp, until the coating is golden and the shrimp are just cooked through.
- Drain each batch on a wire rack set over a tray (not paper towels, which can make the bottom soggy), and immediately sprinkle with a pinch of fine sea salt while hot.
- Keep finished batches warm in a 200°F oven on a wire rack while you finish the remaining snacks, ensuring all oil returns to 350°F between batches.
- Arrange the fried snacks on a large platter with the dipping sauce in a small bowl in the center; serve immediately while hot and shatteringly crisp.
Cook’s Notes
- Ice-cold liquid is the secret to a light, crackly Korean-style batter; chilling the mixing bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes helps too.
- Maintain oil temperature at 350°F; if it drops below 325°F the snacks absorb oil and turn greasy, while above 375°F they brown before cooking through.
- Pat every ingredient thoroughly dry before dipping; a wet surface causes the batter to slide off and splatter dangerously.
- For an even crispier finish, double-dip select pieces (like perilla leaves) by dipping once, letting it set for 30 seconds, then dipping again just before frying.
- Serve with cold Korean beer or makgeolli for an authentic pojangmacha (street-tent) experience at home.
