''Tongdak'' () is a
chicken
The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated subspecies of the red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and w ...
in South Korean cuisine, prepared by
deep-frying
Deep frying (also referred to as deep fat frying) is a cooking method in which food is submerged in hot fat, traditionally lard but today most commonly oil, as opposed to the shallow frying used in conventional frying done in a frying pan. Norm ...
a whole chicken.
It was a popular food in the 1970s, being the only kind of
fried chicken
Fried chicken, also called Southern fried chicken, is a dish consisting of chicken pieces that have been coated with seasoned flour or batter and pan-fried, deep fried, pressure fried, or air fried. The breading adds a crisp coating or ...
sold in Korea at that time.
It is considered as the proto-Korean fried chicken.
As more varieties of "whole chicken" dishes are also enjoyed in Korea nowadays and the generic term ''tongdak'' can refer to any "whole chicken" (e.g.
rotisserie chicken is called ''jeongi-gui-tongdak'' (, "electric-grilled whole chicken") in Korea), the 70s-style whole chicken is now called ''yennal-tongdak'' (, "old-time whole chicken").
It is now sold as retro food in many traditional markets as well as streets in provincial cities.
Suwon
Suwon (; ) is the largest city and capital of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea's most populous province. The city lies approximately south of the national capital, Seoul. With a population of 1.2 million, Suwon has more inhabitants than Ulsan, tho ...
in
Gyeonggi Province
Gyeonggi Province (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea.
Seoul, the nation's largest city and capital, is in the heart of the area but has been separately administered as a provincial-level ''special city'' since 1946. Incheon, ...
is famous for its ''tongdak golmok'' (, "''tongdak'' alley") with dozens of ''tongdak'' restaurants that are over 40 years old.
Preparation
Whole chicken seasoned with salt and black pepper is coated with a thin layer of
weak flour (wheat flour with a low
W), and deep-fried on low heat for a long time.
Before frying, cuts are made to the thicker parts such as the breast and thighs to cook the chicken evenly.
See also
*
Korean cuisine
Korean cuisine is the set of foods and culinary styles which are associated with Korean culture. This cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating from ancient Prehistoric Korea, agricultural and nomad ...
*
Fried chicken
Fried chicken, also called Southern fried chicken, is a dish consisting of chicken pieces that have been coated with seasoned flour or batter and pan-fried, deep fried, pressure fried, or air fried. The breading adds a crisp coating or ...
*
Rotisserie chicken
References
Deep fried foods
Korean fried chicken
Street food in South Korea
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