Korean Kabocha Tempura (Hobak-twigim)

Quick answer

Total time: 30 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 3 servings
Ingredients: 6

About this dish

Hobak-twigim is made by coating thin kabocha crescents in a cold flour and potato starch batter, then deep-frying them until crisp.

It differs from hobak-jeon, which uses egg-coated zucchini slices cooked in a pan, and danhobak-jeon, which uses mashed steamed kabocha shaped into patties. Slices 0.5-0.7 cm thick cook through before the coating becomes too dark. Equal amounts of flour and potato starch mixed briefly with ice water produce a thin, crisp shell. Keep the oil at 170-180 degrees Celsius and fry in small batches so the temperature does not drop sharply. Drain the pieces in a single layer on a wire rack and serve them warm with vinegar-soy dipping sauce.

Ingredients (3 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
Kabocha squash	300	g
All-purpose flour	70	g
Potato starch	60	g
Ice water	150	ml
Salt	0.5	tsp
Cooking oil for deep-frying	800	ml

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Prep

Halve the kabocha and scrape out the seeds and stringy fibers with a spoon.

Rinse it, then cut it into 0.5-0.7 cm crescents.
2

Finish

Pat the squash dry with paper towels.

Reserve 10 g of the 70 g flour, dust both sides of each slice lightly, and shake off the excess.
3

Season

Combine the remaining 60 g flour, 60 g potato starch, and 0.5 teaspoon salt.

Add 150 ml ice water and stir briefly with chopsticks, stopping while a few dry streaks remain.
4

Heat

Heat 800 ml cooking oil in a pot to 170-180 degrees Celsius.

The oil is ready when a drop of batter sinks briefly and rises with bubbles within 1-2 seconds.
5

Heat

Dip the dusted squash into the cold batter for a thin coating.

Lower the pieces into the oil without crowding and fry for 3-4 minutes, turning once or twice, until pale golden.
6

Finish

Drain the fried squash in a single layer on a wire rack so oil and steam can escape.

Serve warm while the coating is crisp.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: A thin coating made with equal parts flour and potato starch
Finish cue: Lower the pieces into the oil without crowding and fry for 3-4 minutes, turning once or twice, until pale golden.
Avoid this: Do not stir the batter completely smooth.