Dakgalbi (Spicy Stir-Fried Chicken)

Method

1. Cut the chicken into 3–4 cm pieces. In a large bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients, from the gochujang to the black pepper. Add the chicken, coat it well and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.

   Add in this stepBoneless chicken thighs 400 gGochujang (Korean chili paste) 2 tbspKorean chili flakes (gochugaru) 1½ tbspSoy sauce 1 tbspSugar 1 tbspMirin (rice cooking wine) 1 tbspMinced garlic 1 tbspMinced ginger ½ tspCurry powder ½ tspGround black pepper 1 pinch

2. Halve the sweet potato lengthways (skin on) and slice into 5 mm half-moons. Cut the cabbage into 4 cm squares and the onion into 1 cm strips. Cut the green onion into 5 cm lengths and the perilla leaves into 2 cm ribbons. If the rice cakes are hard, soak them in lukewarm water for 10 minutes.

3. Heat the oil in a wide 26 cm frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken with all its sauce and the sweet potato, and stir-fry for 5 min, until the outside of the chicken is no longer pink.

   Add in this stepCooking oil 1 tbspSweet potato 150 g

   medium-high heat

4. Add the cabbage, onion and rice cakes and stir-fry over medium heat for 9 min, scraping the bottom as you go. If the sauce starts to catch, add 2 tbsp water at a time. It's done when a chopstick slides easily into the sweet potato and the biggest piece of chicken shows no pink when cut open.

   Add in this stepCabbage 200 gOnion 100 gKorean rice cakes (tteok, cylinder type) 100 g

   medium heat

5. Add the green onion and perilla leaves and toss over medium heat for 1 min, just until they wilt. Bring the pan to the table and eat straight away.

   Add in this stepLarge green onion (or leek) 1Perilla leaves (or a few mint leaves) 5

   medium heat

6. When you've nearly finished, leave 2–3 tbsp of sauce and bits in the pan, add the rice and sesame oil and chop it in with a spatula. Press it into a thin layer and leave it over medium-low heat for 3 min, until you hear crackling and the bottom turns crisp. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

   Add in this stepCooked short-grain rice 150 gToasted sesame oil 1 tspToasted sesame seeds 1 tsp

   medium-low heat