Korean Glazed Potatoes
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Soft and fluffy potatoes with a slightly crispy shell covered in a sweet glaze. Korean Glazed Potatoes, served at Korean restaurants, is a favourite side dish to snack on before your food comes.
What is Banchan?
If you’ve ever visited a Korean restaurant, you’ll notice a few side dishes on the table. Traditionally called, banchan, a collective name for small side dishes served along with cooked rice in Korean cuisine.
The usuals include cabbage kimchi, pickled radish, seasoned bean sprouts and of course, Korean glazed potatoes! These aren’t the only varieties though. You can learn more about the different types of banchan here.
About the Recipe
The sweet syrupy glaze covering the potatoes makes it a favourite among kids and adults alike. It also makes a great snack or dessert too! If you ever visit South Korea, you’ll mostly find them being sold in cups at street vendors in Seoul.
The key to delicious crispy but still fluffy potatoes is to fry them before adding the glaze. You can opt-out of frying them and bake them instead.
If you’re craving something more savoury, try making soy sauce glazed potatoes instead. To make this, whisk together 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon of fish sauce and 1 clove of garlic minced. Replace the sugar in this recipe with this mixture and cook until it thickens to your liking.
Although Korean Glazed Potatoes are everyone’s favourite, kimchi still reigns as the most popular Korean side dish. Learn how to make it yourself with our Kimchi recipe.
Korean Glazed Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb Korean sweet potatoes, (~ 2 medium)
- 4 cups canola oil, plus more if needed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, (optional)
Instructions
- Wash and peel the sweet potatoes. Then chop them into chunks, about 2-inches wide and ½-inch thick.
- Using a medium-sized pot, heat 4 cups of canola oil (or enough to cover the potatoes) to 350°F. You will know if it’s hot enough by dipping the tip of a potato chunk in and it bubbles.
- Once the oil is hot enough, carefully put the potato chunks in and deep-fry them for 12 minutes or until they become golden brown. Stir occasionally to prevent uneven browning.
- When the potatoes are finished frying, place them on a tray lined with some paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
Glaze
- To make the glaze, grab a large saucepan and add 3 tablespoons of the oil you used to fry the potatoes. Add in the sugar as well and heat everything over medium heat. Do not turn up the heat too high or you might burn the sugar. Tip: Do not stir the sugar while it is melting or it will crystalize.
- Get a tray ready by lining it with parchment paper.
- Once the sugar begins to brown (~ 5 minutes), mix it around by picking up the entire pan and tilting it around to swirl it.
- When the sugar is browned, add in the fried potatoes and stir around to coat everything evenly. Remember to be gentle or the potatoes will break apart.
- After the potatoes are all evenly coated, transfer everything to the parchment-lined tray. Spread them out evenly on the tray.
- Sprinkle on the toasted sesame seeds and let it cold for about 10 minutes. Once cooled, it’s ready to serve. Enjoy!
