Photos by ChiHon Kim ()
Dakdoritang or Dakbokkeumtang is a very popular chicken dish in Korea. The savory and spicy meal is typically prepared with red pepper paste along with various veggies like carrots, onions and potatoes.
In college, my roomies and I enjoyed this spicy chicken at least twice a week. I was not a big fan of this spicy chicken dish at first, but their love for the one-pot meal finally made me open my eyes to a new world of flavor. The perfect combination of spicy, sweet, and salty is irresistible.
This dish that boasts a spicy flavor is commonly served as a side dish that goes perfectly well with rice and also pairs well with Korean drinks soju and makgeolli, making this a great option to feed guests when hosting a small party. The recipe is very simple to follow. Make it a party at home and give it a try!
- PREP TIME: 15 mins - COOK TIME: 30 mins - TOTAL TIME: 45 mins - DIFFICULTY: Easy - SERVINGS: 2
Ingredients
• 600 – 700g chicken, cut into medium sized chunks (I used pre-cut chicken)
• 1 potato or sweet potato (200g/ 7ounces), (I prefer to use sweet potatoes)
• 1/2 medium carrot (100g/ 3.5ounces), cut into 1.4inch thick bite sized chunks or slice them into coins
• 1 medium onion, cut into 0.6inch thick bite size chunks
• 2 chilies thinly sliced (optional)
• 1 stalk of green onion cut into 0.7 inch long
• Glass noodles (50g/ 1.7 ounces) (optional)
Sauce
• 1.5 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
• 1.5 tbsp red chili pepper
• 2 cups of water
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
• Black pepper
• 1 tsp minced ginger (optional)
• 1 tbsp cooking wine (optional)
Pro-tips:
If you have fermented kimchi in your fridge, add a quarter cabbage or pre-cut kimchi (600g) and reduce the amount of pepper flakes to taste.
Soak the chicken in milk for about 2030 minutes ahead of cooking. This will neutralize the smell and prevent fluids from leaking from the meat.
Instructions
1. Pre-soak the glass noodles in water for 30 minutes (Warm water can shorten the time) If you’re not a big fan of glass noodle, skip this step.
2. Boil some water in a large pot. Cut up all veggies into bite sized chunks, until water boils.
3. When the water comes to a boil, add the chicken with some of rice wine, then turn the heat to medium and simmer the pieces until they are partially cooked (will take about five mins, not much longer).
4. Drain water but leave 2 cups of water in the pot.
5. Add pepper paste sauce, rice wine, soy sauce, minced garlic, (fermented kimchi – optional) and sweet potatoes and cook them for about 20 - 25 mins. (Add extra water if needed)
6. Add noodles, carrots, green onion, onion, red pepper powder, sugar, honey or syrup, pepper powder. Cook them until potatoes are easily pierced with a chopstick or paring knife.
7. Sprinkle sesame seeds and serve it. Bon appetite or in Korean, 잘 먹겠습니다! (Pronounced: jal meok-ke-sseum-nida)!
