Korean corn dog, otherwise known as gamja hot dog, is a satisfying street food that’s common in the night markets in Seoul. Popping up in Taiwan, Japan and China, this delicious snack is finally making its way over to The States and Europe.
Learn how to make this Korean street food at home and the variations you can make! This recipe will take roughly 30 minutes to complete and serves 3-5 people.
What’s inside them?
Korean corn dogs are made from either sausage, mozzarella cheese, or a combination of the two. This is skewered and coated in a sweet flour batter before rolled in a layer of toppings.
Common topping choices include panko breadcrumbs, french fries, cornflake and even ramen noodles! Once fried, the corn dog is rolled in sugar and covered with condiments like ketchup and mayonnaise!
Korean corn dog vs American corn dog
There are 4 points which make this street food stand out from its traditional American counterpart.
- The filling is not limited to sausages. Cheese, fish hot dog, squid, spam, Korean rice cake or a mix can be used.
- Does not use cornmeal batter.
- It is coated with panko breadcrumbs so it is crunchier. In addition, french fries, cornflake or ramen can be used.
- After frying to golden brown, it is coated with a layer of sugar.
Cheesy Korean Corn Dog Recipe
Ingredients
Filling
- 4 sausages
- 250 g mozzarella you can use mozzarella sticks instead
- 10 skewers you can use wooden chopsticks instead
Batter
- 1¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 100 ml milk
Toppings
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup frozen bag of fries (cubed) you can use 1 diced potato instead
Instructions
Preparation
- Cut the sausages and mozzarella cheese into 4cm width pieces.
- On a baking tray or plate, spread the panko breadcrumbs and chopped fries on opposite sides.
Method
- Arrange the sausages and mozzarella cheese sticks onto skewers. You can make mozzarella corn dogs by just using the cheese and not the sausage.
- In a bowl, mix together your dry ingredients and slowly incorporate the milk and egg. If your batter seems too thick, add more milk in 20 ml increments. You want a thick and sticky consistency. The batter should stick to the skewers and not drip off easily. Place the mixture in a glass.
- Dip your skewers into the glass of thick batter.
- Remove the excess and roll in the panko breadcrumbs or chopped fries. A mixture between the two will also work well. Press the breadcrumbs and or chopped fries gently to help the coating stay on the skewers.
- Deep fry these at 160-170 degrees for 3-5 minutes. Only fry 2-3 skewers at one time to make sure the temperature of the oil stays consistent.
- Leave to cool before sprinkling sugar and adding condiments.
Notes
- Keep the cheese cold so it will hold its shape when deep fried
- Keep the oil temperature consistent so these cook evenly and don’t soak up excessive oil. Otherwise you’ll end up with the interior being undercooked.
- Cut the filling into smaller chunks to get a bite of everything in one go!
Top Variations To Try
Fillings
Here are some popular alternatives to try as a filling instead.
- Spicy sausage
- Fish hot dog
- Squid
- Spam
- Korean rice cake
- Sausage wrapped in cheddar
- Potato wrapped in cheddar cheese
- Cheddar cheese and mozzarella
Toppings
Other than panko breadcrumbs and french fries, try these for the toppings.
- Crushed ramen noodles
- Cornflake
- Seasoned panko breadcrumbs
- Furikake
Condiments
Ketchup and mayonnaise are a dream combination for sure. But why stop there?
- Honey mustard
- Korean gochujang mayo
- Wasabi mayo
- Sriracha
- Teriyaki sauce
- More cheese to dip it in!
Using Yeast
Using yeast in this recipe can give the dough a stretchier texture. However, you can achieve the same results without this. Using yeast will also require a lot more preparation time as the dough will need time to proof.
Can you use an air fryer for this recipe?
You can use an air fryer to make these Korean cheese corn dogs. However, the outer panko layer might not be as crispy and will require more caution. Set the air fryer to 180 degrees for 8-10 minutes and flip at regular intervals.
An air fryer is better used for reheating fried food. To reheat, set the air fryer to 350 degrees for 5 minutes.
How to make vegan korean corn dog
You can make this Korean hot dog vegan by substituting a few of the ingredients above.
For the batter, you can replace the eggs with chia seeds or flaxseeds. Use one tablespoon of chia seeds to three tablespoons of water. Mix this in a bowl and let sit for about fifteen minutes. For the milk, you can use plant-based milk instead. Oat milk works the best as it has a thicker texture than almond milk or soya milk.
These substitutes can cause the batter to be more runny. Therefore, slowly add in the amount of wet ingredients. Add more based on how runny or thick the batter is.
For the filling, you can use vegan sausage and vegan cheese. Daiya’s vegan mozzarella cheese is a good replacement to still get the melty cheesy pull!
To store
It is best to enjoy these cheesy Korean corn dogs straight away. However, if you feel like saving some for later, you can easily freeze these into a zip lock bag. They will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
When you’re ready to eat them, take the frozen Korean corn dogs out. Cook from frozen in the oven for 10 minutes at 190 degrees to reheat. Or alternatively, use the microwave or an air fryer to retrain the crispy exterior.
Perfect Comfort Food
These gamja hot dogs are almost guaranteed to be present in any food market in South Korea. Each one can already be a meal in itself! They are cheesy, chewy and fun to eat!
Take a bite and you’ll get a satisfying cheese pull! A juicy filling in the middle that is nice and savoury. Coated by a sweet and soft layer of batter, paired with a crunchy french fries exterior. Top it off with your favourite condiments and you’ve got the perfect fried food on a stick!
It’s no wonder that YouTubers are doing Mukbang of this snack. Mukbang translates to “eating broadcast” in South Korea. Here’s an ASMR one we love. Be warned – it’s guaranteed to make you hungry and try our cheesy Korean corn dog recipe out!
Let us know if this recipe satisfied your cravings! Tag us on Instagram @honestfoodtalks to show us your creations!
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