Korean Spicy Chicken/ Dak-Galbi

I didn't know what gotten into me, I just felt like having a Korean meal.  When I got that planned, I didn't know what I gotten myself into.  I made three out of four banchan (side dish) before and everything seem simple on the surface.  Only when I started working on it, only did I realize that it was actually quite a lot of work when making it all in a day, like slicing the Korean radish and scallions.  Then, the different methods of cooking the anchovies and bean sprouts.  Anyway, to cut it short, I spent the whole afternoon preparing and washing and ended with a sore back, that's mean I stood for too long.  Hahaha....  I have to admit, I like to take my time in the kitchen, that's why I cannot work in a restaurant setting, I would be so slow that all the customers would walk away and I would be left stressful. 

For the banchan recipes, I provided the links below:

Korean Scallion Salad (Pa-Muchim)

Mu- Saengchae (Spicy Korean Radish)

Myulchi Bokkeum (Stirfried Anchovies)

Mungbean Sprout MuChim/ SukJu MuChim (link coming up once I posted)

Recipe inspired from a Korean Cookbook that I borrowed from the library.

Ingredients:

1 skinless and boneless chicken breast, sliced thinly

1 small carrot, julienned

1/2 yellow onion, julienned

2 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces

4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in warm water until soften, drained, stems discarded and thinly sliced

1 cup chicken stock or 1 cup water + 1 tsp. chicken powder

1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Marinade:

2 tsp. red pepper/chili powder

2 Tbsp. red pepper paste (gochujang)

1 1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic

1- inch fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. mirin

2 Tbsp. pure sesame oil

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Method:

1.  In a glass bowl, add in chicken and the marinade.  Mix well, cover with cling wrap and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

2.  Heat up your wok.  When heated, add in a little cooking with a dash of sesame oil.  When hot, add in the marinated chicken.  Stir well and try to cook the chicken.  Add in water and chicken powder, stir well.  Add in onion, carrot, mushrooms and scallions.  Mix and stir-well until everything is fully cooked and most liquid has been evaporated.

3.  Transfer to a plate and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Korean Scallion Salad (Pa-Muchim)

This scallion salad is usually served along side Korean barbeque in a Korean restaurant.  You can wrap this and the barbeque meat in a green lettuce leaf and eat it together.  I made this to serve it with my Hanainese chicken because I thought it would go well together with the ginger sauce and chili.  This scallion salad was indeed delicious and it would pair well with any meat dishes.

I think it is best to make this on the day you want to serve it and finish it in the same day.

I adapted this recipe from a Korean cookbook that I borrowed from my local library in which I forgot to copy down the title of the book.  It is a cookbook featured Korean chefs in Korean restaurants around LA, California.

Ingredients:

5 scallions

1 tsp. red pepper powder

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. soy sauce

1/4 tsp. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. sesame oil

1/2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

Method:

Wash each scallion and pat dry with paper towel.  Trim both ends of each scallion, then cut into 3-inch pieces and then finely cut again lengthwise (scallions are very slippery, so use caution while cutting).  Put the scallions in a bowl and add red pepper powder, garlic, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil. and sesame seeds, and toss to mix.  Transfer to a serving plate.

Korean Jajangmyeon (Noodle with Black Bean Sauce)

Even though I am Chinese but I never seen this noodle dish before in Malaysia.  I actually learned about this famous Korean Chinese food from watching the Korean dramas.  I got fascinated because this jajangmyeon only served in the Korean Chinese restaurant and it is a Korean fusion Chinese food.   Last year I found out that the Chinese restaurant near my house also featured Korean menu and jajangmyeon was one of them.  So of course I got to buy and give it a try.  But at almost $10 a bowl, it was not affordable.  Recently I saw this recipe at a Korean cookbook and found out that it was actually very easy to make at home.  All I needed to buy were the fresh noodle and the black bean sauce at the Korean market and I was set to go.

Originally this recipe called for pork but I used chicken instead.  Oh well, I only have chicken in my house and my mom also asked me to eat less pork.  Overall, it tasted almost identical to the one I paid $10 for.  So, I am happy that I can easily recreate this dish at home and save some money.  I served it up with the Spicy Korean Radish.

Sharing this with Presto Pasta Nights hosted at Ruth of Once Upon a Feast.

Ingredients:

Serving size: 5

1  (37oz./1050g) premium fresh noodle or jajangmyeon noodle

1 large boneless and skinless chicken breast, cut into small cubes (marinate it with rice wine, salt, white pepper and cornstarch)

1/2 large yellow onion, chopped

1/2 zucchini (if large), 1 zucchini (if small), cut into cubes

1 small carrot, cut into cubes

3 heap Tbsp. Korean black bean sauce

1 cup water

2 tsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp. water

Oil for cooking

Method:

1.  Cook noodle per package direction.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  If not it will stick together and create clumps.  Unless you eat it right away.

2.  Heat wok over high heat and when heated, add in some cooking oil.  When hot, add in the chicken and stir-fry until no longer pink.

3.  Add in the cubes onion, carrot and then zucchini and stir-fry until soften.  

4.  Add in the black bean sauce.  Stir to mix well.  Add in water and sugar.  Stir well.  Lastly thicken with cornstarch water.

5.  Pour on top of the noodle to serve.

Mu- Saengchae (Spicy Korean Radish )

I saw this dish in a Korean cookbook and immediately felt a urge to make it at home.  I combined two recipes together to bring out the best spicy Korean radish dish for myself.  I liked this as it was spicy and went well with rice or jajangmyeon.

Usually this is served as a Korean side dish called Banchan (반찬).  I ate it with rice and toasted seaweed, made Korean pancake, made omelet with it, added it in my Korean spicy instant noodle, or just have it as a side dish to my everyday meal.  Surprisingly my little Edda loves this and she didn't complaint that this was spicy.  I guess I trained them well.  Evy on the other hand, doesn't like this banchan.

Ingredients:

1- 1.5 lb Korean radishes, julienned into 2-inch long strips

1 tsp. salt

3 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1-inch piece of ginger, grated

2 Tbsp. red pepper powder

2 tsp. granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. pure sesame oil

1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

1 tsp. soy sauce

Method:

1.  Put julienned radishes into a big bowl.  Add in 1 tsp. of salt, mix well and let it sit for 30 minutes.  Drain and gently squeeze the water out.  Place in another bowl.

2.  Add in cut scallion and the rest of the ingredients.  Mix well with your hands (wear a glove) or until the radishes are red from the red pepper powder.

3.  Keep in the refrigerator and serve as a cold side dish.  Should be able to keep up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

Japchae (Vegetable Beef Vermicelli)

The original JapChae, a Korean style vegetable beef with sweet potato vermicelli/cellophane noodles uses beef, but I used chicken in mine.  While looking at my old JapChae recipe, it was so different.  I used to add dark soy sauce because as a Malaysian, I seem to be addicted to dark color food in the beginning of my cooking.  My noodle, fried rice and stir-fried dishes were mostly dark in color.  But over the years, it has change, my cooking seem to be more balance now, not all dishes were dark in color, more white color food came out from me actually.  With the birth of my girls, my cooking also became less spicy.  Guess I would suffer when I go back to Malaysia for a visit as I am not use to that level of heat anymore.

This JapChae was served with Myulchi Bokkeum (Stirfried Anchovies).   The recipe is mostly adapted from the back of the sweet potato vermicelli (dang myun) that I bought in the Asian market.

Ingredients:

1 16oz packet of sweet potato vermicelli/cellophane noodles, soaked in warm water until soften.

2 dried flower shitake mushroom, soften in hot water and thinly sliced.  Season with soy sauce, pepper and sesame oil

1/2 cup of dried woodear fungus, soften in hot water and drain

1 small carrot, thinly julienned

1/2 yellow onion, julienned

1 skinless and boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced and marinated with soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, white pepper and cornstarch.

2 scallion, shredded

1 big bowl of washed and ready to eat spinach

2 gloves of garlic

1 Tbsp. Toasted white sesame seeds

Sauce:  Soy sauce, Kadoya sesame oil, salt, sugar and pepper to taste

Method:

1.  In a heated wok, add in oil.  When hot, stir-fry the chicken until cooked.  Dish out and set aside.

2.  In the same heated wok, add in more oil.  Add in onion, then garlic and stir-fry for a minute.  Add in mushroom and woodear and stir-fry well.  Then, add in carrot and mix well.  After that add in cooked chicken and spinach, stir-fry until spinach is cooked.  Add in sweet potato vermicelli and the sauce.  Add some water if needed.

3.  Stir well with a chopsticks or two forks, mix well with the sauces and until the vermicelli turns transparent.  Add the scallion.  Lastly add in the toasted sesame seeds and mix well.  Serve!

Myulchi Bokkeum (Stirfried Anchovies)

When I saw this recipe at Little Teochew's blog, I knew I had to try it.  I had this at a Korean's family house ages ago and really liked it.  However, I hardly get to eat this at the Korean restaurant here, granted I hardly go to the Korean restaurant, but the times that I did go, this side dish was not served.  This side dish was sold at the Korean market though but quite pricy.

It was sweet and spicy and if you eat it right away, the anchovies were crunchy.  However, if you kept it for later or kept it in the refrigerator, then the anchovies would turn soft.  I liked it better when the anchovies were still crunchy, then I got the crunchy, the spiciness from the gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste), and the sweetness from the honey and sugar.  Simply irresistible!!  Even both of my girls were enjoying this spicy snack!  With water alongside of course.

 

Recipe adapted from Maangchi and seen at Little Teochew.  I changed some of the method and used short-cut (buy bottle toasted sesame seeds).

Ingredients:

1 cup of dried anchovies

1/2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds (I used 2 tsp.)

1 tsp. sesame oil

(A)

1 Tbsp. brown sugar ( I used pure cane sugar)

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1 Tbsp. gochujang

1/2 Tbsp. corn syrup or honey (I used honey)

4 tsp. water

Method:

1.  In a dinner plate, spread out the dried anchovies.  Spray the top with cooking spray.  Place in the microwave for 2 minutes or until the anchovies are toasted and crispy.

2.  In a small saucepan, add in (A).  Then put on the stove and stir until sugar, honey and gochujang are melted and thicken.  Turn the heat off and add in the anchovies.   Add in the sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds and mix well.  Serve right away if you like a crispy bite, serve later if you like it soft.

Note:  Can keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.  But for just 1 cup, it won't stay for more than a day.

Korean Spicy Tofu Stew

Remember the other day I bought lots of bay scallops and finding way to use them? Since I also bought some imitation crab meats and tofu, I just combined them into my spicy Korean soup. The key ingredient here is Gochujang, Korean red pepper paste. You can easily buy this at any of the Korean grocery store. This paste alone is pretty spicy but I always want an extra kick and added a few dashes of cayenne pepper powder. Guess who besides the parents loved this soup?



My little Edda enjoyed this spicy soup very much. Even me the mother thought this soup was spicy and yet this little fellow finished a bowl and requested for more! I had some leftover for the next day so ladled the rice with this soup and some tofu and crab meat for her and she finished everything in her bowl. WOW right? As for the big sister, she won't even dare to touch the soup!

For recipe, click here. Oh, I also added an egg into the soup this time.

Gochujang Soup

I am crazily in love with this soup! This is my latest tofu seaweed Gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) soup. Everything that is good for us are in this soup and it's so tasty with a hint of spiciness. I can have a big bowl of this soup as it's soooo good.

I have already posted my recipe here. But this latest version is with the seaweed instead of napa cabbage. They match so well together. You should give this spicy soup and the combination above a try (if you haven't already)! *wink*

Hmmm...next time I should add Udon noodle in it and make it a Spicy Udon tofu & seaweed soup huh? Then, my lunch is "kau tim".

Dak Gochujang Bulgogi (Korean Spicy Chicken Dish)

Gochujang is a spicy Korean hot chili paste that used widely in Korean cooking. While paying for the smallest tub I could find, I saw the lady behind me with her two giant size Gochujang tubs, I mean GIANT tubs, man. I was wondering whether she open a Korean restaurant?

After seeing Cooking Ninja's Gochujang Bulgogi, I told her I need to buy myself Gochujang so that I can try this dish of hers. I made a little twist and made mine into dak gochujang bulgogi ~ Korean spicy chicken dish. This was the first time I cooked a dish using this method. Frying without oil and with all the marinade until the chicken was cooked. This dish was sweet and spicy and tasted pretty good. However, my hubby took a tiny bite and won't touch the dish again. I wonder whether the color put him off or what? I asked him why he didn't like this dish and I received a silent respond. So, until now I am still clueless. Well, nevermind, more for me! ;)

Sundubu Jjgae (Korean Spicy Bean Curd Stew)

Sundubu Jjgae is a Korean thick and spicy bean curd stew. Traditionally people crack an egg on top of the stew before serving, many still do it now. Some serve this stew with clams, clam juice, seafood, onion, enoki mushroom and other vegetable. This stew is normally served boiling on the table over a hot fire in a Korean pot.

I came to love this soup while dining in a Korean restaurant. I just love the spiciness of this soup and the flavor of Gochujang. The silken soft tofu with the Gochujang made me want to drink this stew non-stop. This stew is especially good while eaten during the cold winter days because it will just warm up your body instantly. Therefore, it will be my favorite soup to cook during winter. What a surprise, my hubby loves this soup too!






Ingredients: (yield 3-4 bowls)

1/2 pack of soft bean curd (7 oz), cut into cubes
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 cups of shredded napa cabbage
1/4 cup of chopped green onion/scallion
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. Gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
1 Tbsp. Korean bean paste/ miso paste (red or white)
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. chicken stock granules
Enough water to cover

Method:
1. In a Korean hot pot (or a saucepan), heat the sesame oil, add in the garlic. Stir well and add in the bean paste and Gochujang, stir-well and then add enough water to cover. Add in tofu and chili powder. Stir-well to mix, careful not to break the tofu.

2. Add napa cabbage and chicken stock granules. Cover and let it simmer for 5 minutes or until cabbage soften. Open the cover, add in chopped green onion and serve hot.

Warning: Very spicy and yet super yummy!