Yakgwa (Korean Honey Cookies)

Sift 2 cups of all-purpose flour into a large bowl.

Add sesame oil, cooking oil, and cinnamon powder to the flour.

Mix with a spatula, then rub the flour between your palms to coat every particle with oil.

Sift the flour mixture again into a clean bowl for a light and airy texture.

Grate fresh ginger and squeeze it through a cheesecloth or coffee filter to extract the juice. You'll need about 3 teaspoons in total for the recipe.

In a separate bowl, combine ginger juice, salt, black pepper, honey, and soju.

Stir the wet mixture well until the honey is completely dissolved.

Gradually pour the wet mixture into the flour, mixing with a spatula until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix or knead.

Turn the dough onto a cutting board. Press and fold the dough repeatedly to create layers, using a rolling pin to help flatten it. Don't stretch the dough.

Roll the dough out to about a quarter-inch thickness and cut out shapes with a cookie cutter.

Gather the scraps, gently press them together, roll out again, and cut more cookies.

Using a chopstick, poke a hole through the center of each cookie to help it cook evenly and absorb the syrup.

In a small saucepan, combine water, rice syrup, sugar, the remaining 1 tsp of ginger juice, and 1/4 tsp of cinnamon powder.

Bring the syrup to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat and set aside.

Heat about 4 cups of cooking oil in a pan to 250°F (120°C).

Carefully add the cookies to the oil. Fry slowly on low heat for 5-6 minutes until they float to the top and turn a very light golden color.

Remove the cookies and drain them in a strainer. Increase the oil temperature to 330-350°F (165-175°C).

Return the cookies to the hotter oil and fry for another 1-2 minutes until they are a deep, golden brown color.

Remove the cookies from the oil and drain them thoroughly.

Add the hot, fried cookies directly into the syrup pot and toss gently to coat them completely.

Transfer the cookies and syrup to a container. Let them soak for at least a few hours, or preferably overnight, turning them occasionally to ensure even coating.

Serve the yakgwa and garnish with pumpkin seeds, slivered ginger, or pine nuts.