[Lee Geun-hyung's Odok Odok] The Son-in-Law of a Tonkatsu Restaurant and Polymer Engineering PhD's Conclusion: "Frying Is Instinct"

Fried food? You’re already ordering it.

"Even shoes would taste good if fried." It’s a joke, but if you coat natural, undyed cowhide shoes with flour or breadcrumbs and fry them, they might actually taste delicious. When food is fried, it soaks up the flavor of fat, making it tasty on its own, and the high-temperature cooking process softens the ingredients.

Someone has scientifically analyzed this. A scientist who earned a PhD in polymer engineering from Seoul National University, has long been involved in science and technology policy, and now works to popularize science at the National Gwacheon Science Museum. Another part of his background is that he is the son-in-law of a 20-year-old tonkatsu restaurant. That’s probably the only connection he has with cooking. The author Lim Du-won’s book, The Discovery of Frying, is as confusing as his background suggests.

Looking at the table of contents of this six-chapter book, the most eye-catching is Chapter 2. It covers representative fried dishes from various countries. Stories about Japan’s “Tonkatsu,” America’s “Fried Chicken,” and Britain’s “Fish and Chips” make you think, “Well, most people already know this,” and you skim through.

But from the next chapter on, you can’t help but say, “I’m not a science major.” The author explains the scientific cooking methods behind why fried food is crispy, the ideal frying temperature, and the scientific principles that make fried food delicious, such as the Maillard reaction and caramelization.

Moreover, he presents scientific evidence on what ingredients to use and how to handle them. This is why Chef Park Chan-il mentioned in his recommendation that he took notes while reading.

According to the author, the desire for fried food is human nature. Fat is more energy-efficient than other nutrients and can be stored stably for a long time. Therefore, humans naturally came to crave high-quality fat for survival and prosperity. He argues that frying, which offers both great taste and preservation, inevitably developed as a way to secure high-quality fat.

Is this why just hearing the word “fried food” makes your mouth water? Fried food also evokes special feelings. It’s a comforting food that feels somewhat ordinary yet a bit special, with a nostalgic touch.

Although not based on an authoritative survey, the three most popular fried foods among Koreans seem to be chicken, ramen, and tonkatsu. These foods have overwhelmingly stronger stories than other fried dishes.

The first thing that comes to mind is that Korea has more chicken restaurants than all McDonald’s outlets worldwide combined, by more than double. With this scale, there’s no need to explain chicken’s status in Korea. It’s the one and only supreme “God” with “neunim” (meaning “Lord”) attached to its name.

Ramen is similar. In 2016, Koreans consumed an average of 76 packets of ramen per person annually. That means eating it once every five days. It’s the undisputed world leader. People eat it when hungry, to clear a dry mouth, after eating meat to settle the greasy feeling, and even the day after drinking alcohol.

Tonkatsu, which sounds more familiar to us as “donkkaseu,” is one of the beloved lunchbox menus. Except for vegetarians, it has almost no dislikes. It’s the safest choice when ordering at unfamiliar highway rest stops or casual eateries.

Writing this makes me crave fried food. Maybe today I’ll have a light, water-battered old-fashioned whole fried chicken. Watching a baseball broadcast makes me want chicken? Or thinking about something simple to eat brings ramen to mind? All of this stems from human nature, so I’ll just live as I am.

One lesson learned from the COVID-19 pandemic is that we should trust scientists. I’ll keep eating lots of fried food from now on. Thank you, scientists.