Korean Fried Popcorn Turkey Nuggets
A simple and easy recipe for crispy bite-sized popcorn turkey nuggets tossed in a spicy, sweet and sticky gochujang sauce! Great as a snack or appetizer.
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 1 lb turkey ((500g, cut into 1/2-inch bite-sized pieces - see notes))
- 2-3 clove garlic ((1 tablespoon grated, or blended in food processor))
- 2 slice fresh ginger ((11/2 tablespoon grated, or blended in food processor))
- 1/2 small onion ((approx. 1/3 cup, grated or blended in food processor))
- 1+1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 cup potato starch ((added into marinade mix))
- 3/4 cup potato starch ((used to coat the turkey))
- 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 clove garlic ((1 tablespoon, finely chopped))
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tbsp gochugaru ((Korean Chili Flakes, Optional to make it spicier))
Instructions
- 1
Cut the turkey into 1/2-inch sized pieces and place it in a bowl.
- 2
Cut 2 slices fresh ginger, peel 2-3 cloves garlic, and dice 1/2 small onion and blitz it in a food processor with 1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce. Pour the marinate into the bowl with the turkey.If you don't have a food processor, you can grate it manually.
- 3
Mix the turkey with the marinade together well and place it in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour, while you start making the sauce.
- 4
Peel and finely dice or grate 2 cloves garlic and set it aside.
- 5
Set a frying pan over the stove and set the heat to medium low and add a bit of oil in.
- 6
Once the oil is shimmering, add in the garlic and pan-fry it until it is golden in color (approximately 1-2 mins).
- 7
Adjust the stove to low heat, and add 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste), 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 1/4 cup honey, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1/2 tablespoon gochugaru in and simmer the sauce for 5 minutes.
- 8
Once the sauce is done, set it aside.
- 9
Once the turkey has finished marinating, mix 1/2 cup potato starch into the bowl and mix everything together well until the marinade has combined with the starch and everything is sticky.
- 10
Add 3/4 cup potato starch onto a plate. Dunk each piece of turkey individually one by one into the potato starch until it is well coated and white. Shake of excess potato starch and set aside.
- 11
In a deep fryer, set the temperature to 350F (180C). If you are using a pot, add at least 1 inch of oil and set the stove to medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350F (180C). To test if the oil is hot, you can stick a wooden chopstick in to see if it bubbles or throw in a grain of rice to see if it sizzles.
- 12
Once the oil is hot, add the turkey pieces in one by one, but do not over crowd the pot. (You might need to fry these in batches.) Fry for 2 minutes and set aside on a rack or paper bag to absorb the oil.
- 13
Once all the turkey has been fried, we are ready to do a second fry with it which will make it crispier. Add all the turkey back into the oil and fry it for 2-3 minutes.
- 14
Stir the sweet and spicy Korean sauce. If it is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water to it and mix again.
- 15
If the sauce is cold, re-heat the sauce.
- 16
Toss the freshly fried turkey with the sweet and spicy Korean gochujang sauce and enjoy!