Spicy chicken and potato stew (dak tori tang)

Allow the chicken to braise in the red spicy sauce nice and slowly and you will be rewarded with succulent, tender chicken and silky soft potatoes.

Credit: Billy Law

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  50 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) chicken wings or thigh fillets
• 1 onion, peeled and quartered
• 300 g (10½ oz) floury potatoes, such as russets or colibans, peeled and quartered
• 2 carrots, cut into large chunks
• 1 spring onion (scallion), thinly sliced
• steamed rice, to serve

Marinade

• 70 g (2½ oz/¼ cup) Korean chilli paste (gochujang)
• 2 tbsp Korean chilli flakes (gochugaru)
• 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
• 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp Korean rice syrup (ssalyeot) or corn syrup, glucose or honey
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. If using wings, separate them into three parts: the meaty drumette, the wingette and the tip. Discard the tips or reserve them for another recipe. Place the chicken in a large bowl and set aside.
2. To make the marinade, combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan and stir until combined. Add the chicken and onion and use your hands (wear food preparation gloves if necessary) to rub the marinade into the meat until well coated.
3. Add 250 ml (8½ fl oz/1 cup) water to the marinade, give it a stir, and bring to the boil over medium–high heat. Cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked.
4. Stir in the potato and carrot, cover with the lid, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the chicken is tender and the potato is soft.
5. Remove the lid and continue simmering for a further 10 minutes until the sauce has reduced slightly.
6. Transfer the stew to a serving bowl and serve hot, garnished with the spring onion. Serve simply with steamed rice.

 

Recipe and images from Little Korea: Iconic Dishes and Cult Recipes by Billy Law, Smith Street Books, RRP $49.99

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.