Korean Spicy Chicken & Tacos | Fusion Dish | History & Recipe

Helllllooo, What is up folks!!

Guys, a question!

Do you like Mexican food? Yeah? But what about Korean food? 

I know for a fact I love both!!

I ask because what we have for you today is pretty damn special. It’s a combination of Korean and Mexican food. Right now you are probably thinking, how can you fuse these two extremely different cuisines? Well..it’s 2017 my friends, anything’s possible and this combo “Korean Spicy Chicken Taco” not only has existed for a while, it is a well loved fusion dish by many.

To an extent, Korean spicy chicken looks like regular KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) but it’s sweet and sour and very Asian style. Taco is well, taco! It is Mexican food and it’s eaten worldwide especially in the states - not a lot of us living in Asia get to eat Taco on a regular basis and restaurants seldom sell them either. 

So we hope this home-made fusion dish will satisfy your cravings for taco with a bit of Asian taste of chicken thrown in the mix.

Let’s go one by one. Allow me to talk about Korean style spicy chicken.

• Korean style spicy chicken 101

I assume most of us will have already tried Korean style spicy chicken at Bonchon chicken - well known Korean fried chicken restaurant chain and they sell other great food too.

Korean style spicy chicken or yangnyeom chikin (양념 치킨 - seasoned chicken) originated from S.Korea. Despite its name also being KFC (Korean Fried Chicken), it has one major difference from our beloved KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) - the Korean version of fried chicken differs from the American style or European style fried chicken because it is almost always fried TWICE. The result? It’s less greasy and more crispy. This fried chicken is popular for its extra crispiness, its crackly crusts and the sweet and sour flavor from its seasoning. It is seasoned with spices, sugar, and salt, sesame prior to and after being fried. 

Pickled radishes/Kimchi, BEEEEEERRR, and soju are often served with Korean fried chicken. Pretty epic!

Now, guys! It is time for TACOS. It’s a beautiful thing.

• Tacos 101

Wikipedia says: 

“Tacos are a traditional Mexican dish composed of a corn or wheat tortilla folded or rolled around a filling. A taco can be made with a variety of fillings, including beef, pork, chicken, seafood, vegetables, and cheese, allowing for great versatility and variety. A taco is generally eaten without utensils and is often accompanied by garnishes such as salsa, chili pepper, avocado, guacamole, cilantro (coriander), tomatoes, onions, and lettuce. “

I mean as an Asian person who lived in Thailand pretty much my whole life I didn’t know much about tacos except 3 things: Taco Bell, that they taste amazing and spicy, and that they come from the Mehican Brethren. But when I researched for its history, I found out it is pretty interesting.

The taco predates the arrival of Europeans in Mexico. There is anthropological evidence that the indigenous people living in the lake region of the Valley of Mexico traditionally ate tacos filled with small fish. Writing at the time of the Spanish conquistadors, Bernal Díaz del Castillo documented the first taco feast enjoyed by Europeans, a meal which Hernán Cortés arranged for his captains in Coyoacán.

I also read one article about tacos on smithsonian and I quote:

“Jeffrey M. Pilcher, professor of history at the University of Minnesota, has traveled around the world eating tacos. For the past 20 years, he has investigated the history, politics and evolution of Mexican food, including how Mexican silver miners likely invented the taco.
Q:To where have you traced the birth of the taco? And what about the origin of the word itself?
A: The origins of the taco are really unknown. My theory is that it dates from the 18th century and the silver mines in Mexico, because in those mines the word “taco” referred to the little charges they would use to excavate the ore. These were pieces of paper that they would wrap around gunpowder and insert into the holes they carved in the rock face. When you think about it, a chicken taquito with a good hot sauce is really a lot like a stick of dynamite. The first references [to the taco] in any sort of archive or dictionary come from the end of the 19th century. And one of the first types of tacos described is called tacos de minero—miner’s tacos. So the taco is not necessarily this age-old cultural expression; it’s not a food that goes back to time immemorial.”

Pretty cool yeah? Also another something cool for you:

HAHAHA!!! Mind-blown!

Now, it’s time we all be waiting for!! How to actually make this fusion dish of K.F.C & Taco. Let’s do this!

• Recipe

Korean Spicy Chicken Taco

1) Korean Spicy Chicken Recipe

Boneless Chicken Thighs (1 Lb)

Korean Soy Sauce (Half Cup)

Sesame Oil (2Tbsp)

Sugar (3 Tbsp)

Sesame Seeds (3 tsp)

Chili Powder (3 tsp)

Black Pepper (1 half tsp)

Garlic and Ginger finely chopped (1 Tbsp)

Corn Syrup (1 Tbsp)

Apple Juice (3 Tbsp)

2) Tortilla Recipe

Flour (2 Cups)

Baking Powder (one and half tsp)

Salt (half tsp)

Oil (2 Tbsp)

Milk (3 to 4 cups)

3) Taco Recipe

Korean Spicy Chicken

Tortilla

Lettuce

Carrots thinly slice

Kimchi 

Making Tortilla

-Add flour, baking powder, and salt in the bowl then mix them well together.

-After that oil and milk in.

-Use your hand to make a dough mix well together.

-Please press and mix the dough for about 2 to 3 minutes.

-When we gets large dough. Now, separate them into small balls. You can get 7 to 10 balls for this recipe.

-cover with a cloth and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes.

-Spread flour on your working surface and flat those balls with roller into round shape.

-Get nonstick pan and heat it.

-When pan is heated you can throw in your flat dough.

-Wait a couple minutes and flip it.

-Now you can get fresh homemade tortilla.

• Cooking Instructions

Making Korean Spicy BBQ chicken:

-Cut chicken into 3 inches slices or cubes.
-Mix with all ingredients from the given recipe except sesame seeds.
-Marinate chicken for an hour.
-Heat the pan and fry it until cooked through.
-Remember not to cook chicken to dry. We need Chicken with sauce.
-Add sesame seeds. 

Making Taco:

-Spread little heated butter on your tortilla.
-add lettuce and sliced carrots. Drizzle mayonnaise on top.
-Followed by Korean Pickle (KImchi)
-Finally add your Korean Spicy Chicken into your tortilla.
-Enjoy!
Last note, might not be relevant to readers outside Asia but to our beautiful Thai and Burmese readers, please stay safe during Songkran/Thingyan Water Festival. Have a wonderful break and spend the most with your loved ones. We all wish you a very very happy new year <3 We will see you after the break :)
Enjoy this recipe? Please visit @seriousbites on FaceBook for more Asian dishes! 

• Source

Wikipedia 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taco 

Smithsonian http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/where-did-the-taco-come-from-81228162/