Mama Lee's Braised Spicy Korean Chicken Stew (Dak Dori Tang)

You likely won't find this traditional Korean dish in a restaurant.  It's a homemade favorite in many Korean kitchens.  It's got a kick to it, but you can adjust the spice level by using less gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes) and jalepenos.  I do not recommend omitting them...they really make the dish special.  This dish is super easy, you can't screw this up, I promise.  Be sure to check out the notes at the bottom of the post.

Ready to serve

Braised Spicy Korean Chicken Stew (Dak Dori Tang)

2 tablespoons of sesame oil
10-12 skinless boneless chicken thighs (you can also use skinless drumsticks). Trim excess fat
2 medium onions, chopped
2 Large Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1-2"ish pieces
3/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup cooking wine - mat sul (optional)
1 tablespoon of minced ginger
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
1-2 tablespoons, depending on how spicy you want it, gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
1 jalepeno, sliced
1 bunch green onion, sliced into 2 inch strips
Korean sticky white rice to serve on the side

1. Heat sesame oil in large Dutch oven or pot.
2. Brown chicken thighs (make sure you've trimmed the excess fat). Don't worry about getting a good sear.  It doesn't matter in this stew.
3. Add the onions and potatoes to the chicken.  Stir.
4. In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, water, cooking wine, ginger, garlic, sugar, gochugaru, jalapeno, and green onion.
5. Pour mixture into pot.
6. Stir and bring to a boil.
7. Lower to a simmer and cover.
8. Keep covered until potatoes are done.
9. Simmer, uncovered for another 15-20 minutes...or until desired thickness.
10. If you see some grease pool on the surface of the stew, move the pot over so half of it is at a boil.  The grease will pool to the side thats not heated.  Carefully skim the fat off of the surface.

Serve on a plate next to a side of rice.

Before it was brought to a boil:

Right before I boiled and covered. 

Notes:
-- Most of these ingredients are readily available in your supermarket.  The two you might not find are Gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) and Korean cooking wine (mat sul).  I've included links to images of the two so you if you happen to be in the International food store you can bring this along to help you!  If you happen to have a lot of the gochugaru left over, keep it fresh in a ziplock in the freezer.
-- I STRONGLY suggest serving this with traditional sticky Korean white rise.  My favorite brand is Kokuho Rose.  You should be able to find a small 5lb bag at the grocery store or International store. I recommend making this in a rice cooker.  Be sure to rinse the rice well before cooking.  I wash the rice until the water is just barely foggy.
-- Do not add any salt.  Braising the chicken in the soy salt adds plenty of seasoning.  Trust me.
-- You can substitue the chicken for 3-4 chicken breast halves cut into strips.  I prefer thighs because it really is much more flavorful.

Korean Kitchen Staple: Gochujang

Gochujang is a Korean red chili pepper paste.  Koreans have been using this paste since the 18th century to flavor marinades, stews (click for an easy kimchee stew recipe) and as a condiment.  I grew up with this stuff and it is in every good Korean kitchen.

This is what you look for instead of pointing wildly and confusing Asian food store owners.

It has a thicker consistency than that of tomato paste with a deep red hue.  Do not be alarmed by the scary spicy sounding name.  It's actually quite mild.  I urge you to taste a little of it before adding it however.  It's sweet with a touch of smoke and heat.  Try it in your next marinade with soy sauce and honey over chicken or pork.  Dissolve a little into your soup...I stir some into my butternut squash soup or puree to give it a little complexity.  Whisk some with soy sauce, water and cornstarch and pour it over your next stir fry.  Try it with a hint of rice wine vinegar.  An oldie but a goodie proves to be able to be reinvented over and again.

RECIPE: Korean Taco..takes 1 and 2 with Sriracha Sour Cream

What the DMV (DC, Maryland Va...I know, I hate that term too, but it's so tempting) area needs is a Korean Taco Truck.  I might not be starting one anytime soon, but that doesn't mean I can't experiment in my own kitchen.  Going beyond the kimchee quesadilla,  I decided to give the Korean Taco a try.  Without a recipe in hand and no trip to the Asian food market (I believe anything is possible after a shopping trip there) I improvised with what I had on hand.  Therefore, I believe this recipe has huge room for improvement.  I have two versions below: one on a traditional warmed corn tortilla, and the other on a sesame leaf (from my neighbor's garden!).  The beef is a riff on the traditional Kalbi (Korean BBQ) but this will work for now.  Stay tuned for Take 3.

PHOTO BY VIRGINIA LEE

PHOTO BY VIRGINIA LEE

RECIPE: Korean Taco (takes 1 and 2) with Sriracha Sour Cream
Serves 4

Beef:  (See Note below)
1 lb of top round thin sliced, then sliced again into bite sized one inch pieces (sirloin, ribeye, or tenderloin can be subbed)
1/2 medium onion, sliced thinly
1-2TB of toasted sesame oil
1 TB low sodium tamari soy sauce
1 TB brown sugar
1/2 TB sesame seeds
Lots of cracked black pepper

Sriracha Sour Cream:
2 TB Light Sour Cream
1 tsp (or more if you dare) Sriracha

Wrap it up:
1 cup Kimchee, diced
Few sprigs of cilantro
Corn tortillas (warm according to directions)
OR
Sesame leaves (can be found in Asian food markets)

The Beef
Preheat a grill pan on medium high.  Whisk together onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper and sugar.  Toss together with beef pieces.  Sear on the hot grill pan, about five minutes should do the trick.  Since it's thin sliced, the beef will cook quickly.

The Sour Cream
Mix sour cream and sriracha.  That was easy. Not my most creative moment, but it works.

Assemble and enjoy!

Note:  In the beef marinade try adding sliced scallions and pureed Asian pear.  Decrease the sugar by half and marinate over night.  I didn't have time to get to the Asian food market so this part of the recipe was omitted.  My mother used pureed Asian pear in her Kalbi...it helps tenderize tougher cuts of meat.  Also add a 1/4 cup of cooking wine to the marinate.

PHOTO BY VIRGINIA LEE

RECIPE: CSA "Take Out" Thai Chicken Noodles

My favorite recipes are the ones that create food that fool you into thinking they are horrible for you.  Honestly, I'll take a plate of pork belly with salted shrimp and cabbage  (a Korean fave) over a bowl of oatmeal any day.  But there's a serious misconception that good food HAS to be bad for you.  I'm not going to promise you a healthy donut or fat free pork belly (are you listening God, it's me, Virginia)...but a healthy stir fry recipe can always deter me from stuffing my face with greasy take out (sometimes).

The recipe below for me, was a two-fer.  I not only recreated one of my favorite Thai takeout meals BUT used several CSA ingredients from our weekly share (fresh, local, organic: green beans, basil, cilantro, cucumber, carrots).  I subbed out veggie oil for grape seed oil. Grape seed oil is a great alternative to olive oil.  Nutritionally, they are basically twins (though if you are in need of some Omega 3, look into adding flax or just stick to the olive oil), but their personalities are quite different.  Grape seed oil, though has a slight grapey aroma, lacks the strong olive taste of extra virgin olive oil.  It also has a higher smoking point, which makes grape seed oil more preferable for frying, and in this case, sauté-ing at a high heat.

PHOTO BY VIRGINIA LEE

Thai Chicken Noodles

Serves 4

Around 1/2 lb of whole wheat spaghetti, enough to make about 2-3 cups cooked  (2 cups of brown rice can also be substituted)

1 TB grape seed oil

2 chicken breast halves, sliced thin

2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and julienned

1 red bell pepper, julienned

1/2 medium onion, chopped

Handful of fresh green beans, trimmed

1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 small tomato, seeded and chopped

Handful of fresh basil, julienned

1 TB of fresh cilantro, chopped

1 TB fresh mint, chopped (optional)

1 lime, juiced

1/2 TB red pepper flakes

2-3 tsp fish sauce (don't be scared!)

1 TB low sodium soy sauce

Fresh ground black pepper

Boil water in a large pot.  Add pasta.  In a large, deep skillet or wok, heat oil on medium, about 1 minute.  Add red pepper flakes, raise heat to medium high, about another minute.  Brown sliced chicken until cooked.  Throw in onions and garlic.  Stir until onions slightly soften.  Add carrots, bell pepper, and green onion.  Continuously stir to prevent burning and sticking.  When green beans have softened a little, add al dente pasta.  Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water in case you like a saucier dish..I find the moisture from the pasta is just fine, especially of you take the pasta right form the pot instead of draining it first.  Combine all ingredients well.  Add tomatoes, fish sauce, soy sauce, basil, cilantro, mint and lime.  Mix well, taste and adjust by adding more fish sauce or soy sauce.  Garnish with cold cucumbers.

Notes: Want to make chicken slicing less slimy and easier to prep?  Pop the chicken into the freezer about 1/2 hour before you plan on prepping it.  Freezing the chicken just a touch firms it up so it's easier to slice.

RECIPE: Chili Lime Fish Tacos with Purple Slaw

There was a time in my life where Cinco de Mayo was a Mexican St. Patrick's Day (excuse to drink imported beer with friends).  Today I "celebrated" with a Latin twist on dinner.  I know, exciting.  This I promise you, will be a Cinco de Mayo celebration...in your mouth!

The slaw was inspired by Michael Robertson, a former co-worker and now dear friend/mentor.  His recipe uses onions and apple cider vinegar. I used green onions and replaced the acid with lime to go with my little theme.  The slaw gives the soft fish taco a nice crunch.

I do want to add I was going to include a cocktail in today's blog but I did not have a chance to go to the market.  Excuses excuses...but here was my vision:

layered in a tall glass: lime infused simple syrup (1:1 sugar:water plus peel of whole lime) with green food dye, ice, tequila,  soda water, topped with fresh strawberries and squirt of lime.  Like a Mexican flag?  Get it?  If you so choose to execute this on your own (ahem, Anthony maybe?), please send pics.

PHOTO BY VIRGINIA LEE

Chili Lime Fish Tacos with Purple Slaw
Serves 2 (with plenty of slaw leftover)

Chili Lime Fish Tacos
2 tilapia fillets
Handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tablespoon of olive oil
salt
chili powder
tortillas

Chipotle Sour Cream
1/4 cup of lite sour cream
3/4 tablespoon of chipotle adobo sauce from canned chipotles in adobo sauce

Purple Slaw
1/2 head of red cabbage, julienned
2 green onions, sliced
1.5 tablespoon of mayo
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons of cilantro
1 teaspoon of sugar

The marinade
In a medium sized bowl mix together cilantro, lime, olive oil and a teaspoon of salt.  Coat tilapia fillets and marinate for up to 20 minutes.

The slaw
Meanwhile for the slaw, whisk together in a large bowl, mayo, olive oil, lime juice, sugar and cilantro.  Add in shredded cabbage.  Let sit while you finish the rest of dinner.  Mix together the adobo sauce and sour cream. Save the rest in an air tight container and think of ways you can use it later in the week (mix it in with mayo, ketchup, in your soup...get creative...it really is great).

The fish
In a non-stick skillet heat a teaspoon of oil until hot.  Add fish (without marinade).  Cook book sides until done (about 5  minutes or so per side, depending on how fat your fillets are).  Transfer to a bowl and flake into big chunks.  Pile on fish, slaw, and chipotle sour cream on a tortilla.  Open a Corona,  cheers to a holiday you don't know much about, and enjoy!

RECIPE: Easy Kimchee Jigea (Kimchee Stew)

The miracle of kimchee flavor lies in the fermentation that goes on while it sits in the fridge, or under ground...bubbling and developing its awesome kimchee flavor.  This pickled treat tends to get better in time...but it will reach a point where it's not longer crispy and takes on a super tart flavor.  Some people dig on the older kimchee (I myself am a "new" kimchee fan).  However, when it gets to be a little to...ripe (for my tastes), it is the perfect time to make kimchee jigea.

I grew up on this fragrant, flavor packed dish.  It was a favorite weeknight meal from Mama Lee.  It is always served with a hot bowl of steamed white rice.  As kimchee is the national dish of Korea, the culinary derivative that is kimchee jigea makes sense.  Don't you wish you could take anything past its prime and make it into a delicious stew?

PHOTO BY VIRGINIA LEE

Easy Kimchi Jigea (Kimchee Stew)

Serves 2

1/4 lb of pork belly (I used boneless pork loin rib because it was on sale, but traditionally it's made with pork belly). Sliced thin or cubed.

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup of kimchee, chopped into bite size pieces

1/4-1/2 cup (depends on how spicy you like things) of kimchee juice (the marinade that's left in the jar)

1/2 cup of water

1/2 tablespoon of gochu gaaroo (Korean red pepper powder) if you don't have this on hand, don't worry, skip it.  I don't recommend substituting anything for it.

1/2 tablespoon of denjang (Korean bean paste) if you don't have this on hand, skip it.  Or use a little miso.

1/2 package of firm tofu, drained and patted dry, cubed

1 teaspoon of sesame oil

1 green onion, sliced

Heat up the cast iron pot with the sesame oil.  Sauté the pork and onion together until pork is done.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant...that should only take about a minute.  Add kimchee.  Sauté kimchee until soft and almost translucent.  Add kimchee juice and water.  Bring to a boil and simmer.  Add the pepper powder and bean paste if you have it on hand.  Combine.  Taste.  Add more kimchi juice, pepper, or paste to your taste.  Carefully stir in tofu and combine.  Tofu breaks up easily, which is why it is added before serving.  Garnish generously with green onions.  Serve with Korean sticky white rice and don't plan on kissing anyone for at least a day.  Unless of course, they have indulged also in your kimchee stew.

Note: Everyone does this dish differently, and I've modified it to fit most American kitchens (that happen to have some ripe kimchee around).  Some recipes call for Asian cooking wine, red bean paste, etc...stuff you have to make a special trip to the Asian grocery store for.  I made mine in a mini cast iron cooking pot that is common in Korean cooking.  You gringos can pull this off in a small or medium deep saucepan...whatever you cook your single serving of Ramen in.