Made simply with flour, ginger and sugar, maejakgwa is a traditional Korean sweet confection that’s deep-fried and coated with simple syrup. Crunchy and delicious!
Sift the flour and salt together. Add 4 tablespoons of ginger water, and mix it well. Knead with the heel of your hand until the dough comes together without visible flour in the dough and the bowl.
Over medium low heat in a small saucepan, bring the sugar, syrup and water to a boil over medium low heat. Continue to simmer until the syrup is reduced to half.
Flour a cutting board. Cut the dough into two pieces for easier handling. Flatten one piece to a small rectangle. Wrap the other one until ready to use. Roll the flatten one with a rolling pin to make a thin rectangle.
Cut the rectangle in half lengthwise, and then cut each half into about 6 1-inch small rectangles.
Fold a piece in the middle. From the folded side, make a slit in the middle, and then a shorter slit on each side of the middle slit.
Unfold it, and push one end through the middle slit, wiggling it gently to shape it. Repeat with all pieces. Repeat steps 4, 5, 6 and 7 with the other half of the dough from step 4.
Pour about 1 inch of oil into a heavy bottom pan. When the oil is hot, drop the pieces in one at a time. Cook. Remove and briefly set them on a wire rack or in a strainer.