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1
Pat each hot dog completely dry with paper towel, then dust lightly all over with plain flour, shaking off the excess. Press a wooden stick lengthwise into each dog, leaving enough handle to grip. The surface must be bone-dry and lightly floured before it meets the batter; done when no moisture sheen remains and the flour clings without clumping.
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2
Whisk together the cornmeal, 75 g flour, baking powder, and sugar in a tall, narrow vessel. Add the beaten egg and milk; whisk to a smooth, thick batter. It should fall from the whisk in a slow, heavy ribbon — this is where the dish lives or dies: a batter too thin will drip away from the dog in the oil and leave bare patches; it should coat a spoon thickly and hold its shape on the surface for two seconds before settling.
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3
Pour the oil into a deep, heavy pot to a depth of at least 15 cm. Heat to 175 °C, verified with a thermometer. The oil is ready when a small drop of batter sizzles immediately on contact and rises to the surface.
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4
Holding the stick, dip each floured dog into the batter and rotate slowly so the batter builds an even, thick coat to the base. Still rotating, lower the coated dog into the oil at an angle until fully submerged. Fry for 3–4 minutes, turning once mid-way. The corn dog is done when the batter is uniformly deep golden, puffed, and pulls away cleanly from the oil's surface.
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5
Lift the corn dog from the oil and drain briefly on a wire rack set over a tray. The crust should sound hollow and crisp when tapped lightly with a fingernail. Serve immediately with yellow mustard.