Dakdoritang (Korean Spicy Chicken Stew)

I’m a serial monogamist when it comes to kitchen appliances. First came the Breville juicer; second came the Vitamix; third came the Kitchenaid stand mixer; then came the Cuisinart food processor. When I’m into them, I’m really into them and I use them on a daily basis. But when I’m done, I’m done. Apart from the occasional uses, they sit and collect dust in my tiny kitchen. And Believe me. My kitchen has no space to spare and is in no position to house ANY seldom-used appliances. Nevertheless, I keep adding to my pile of kitchenware.

Now, I’ve moved on to my brand, spanking new pressure cooker. It came highly recommended by my sister-in-law. I now understand why. It significantly cuts cooking time, while extracting all the flavor from everything I cook. And because of shorter time that the food is exposed to heat, it retains more nutrients than it otherwise would when cooked via a traditional cooking method. win/win, right?

It was perfect for Dakdoritang, a Korean spicy chicken stew. It normally takes at least an hour to cook this dish; but with the pressure cooker, it took half of the time. Some people cook this dish with boneless chicken meat, but I prefer it with bone-in chicken, cut into parts. I think the dish is so much more flavorful that way. After it’s done cooking, the meat just falls off the bone. Mmmmmm… It’s just so juicy and delicious.

Dakdoritang can be made very spicy to mild. I decided to make a milder version today. I’ve indulged on a lot of spicy foods lately and craved something different. But milder doesn’t mean less flavorful: the creamy and crumbly potatoes, soft and sweet carrots, the juicy meat, and the slightly spicy and sweet, soy-flavored sauce make a perfectly flavorful combination.

Give it a try. It will warm you up instantly

Dakdoritang (Korean Spicy Chicken Stew) Recipe
Instructions for Pressure Cooker and Conventional Pot immediately follows
Makes 4 servings for very hungry people or 6 regular servings
Ingredients
2 1/2 – 3 lbs bone-in chicken (breast and/or leg pieces)
1/2 cup tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup water
2 TB honey, agave, or sugar
2 TB mirin
1 TB balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 TB gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes)
1 1/4 – 1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes (about 8 small potatoes)
3 large carrots
1 large onion
5 garlic cloves, crushed or finely minced
1 tsp ginger, grated
2 scallions, chopped into rings
salt
pepper

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRESSURE COOKER*
1. Stir together tamari, chicken broth, water, honey/agave, balsamic vinegar, gochugaru (chili pepper flakes), garlic, and ginger. Set aside.
2. Scrub clean and peel potatoes. If you are using small/baby potatoes, you can leave the skin intact. Cut them into 1 – 1 1/2 inch pieces. Peel carrots and cut them into 1 1/2 inch cylinders. Cut onions into large pieces (roughly 3/4 – 1 inch pieces). Set the vegetables aside.
3. Heat a pot you’ll be using for the stew under medium-high heat. Add just enough oil to coat the bottom. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken pieces. Sear the chicken pieces. Once the chicken is seared, add the marinade from step 1. Cover the pot with a lid. Make sure the lid is locked on tightly. Allow the pot to build pressure on high heat. Once pressure builds up, lower the heat slightly and cook under pressure for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, turn off the heat. Release the steam/pressure from the pot. Carefully open the pot.



4. Add potatoes, carrots, and onions to the pot. Give the contents a gentle stir to ensure vegetables are covered with sauce. Lock on the lid again. Heat the pot under high heat and allow the pot to build pressure again. Lower the heat slightly and cook under pressure for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Release the pressure.
5. Serve the chicken and vegetables over steamed rice. Scoop some sauce remaining in the pot over the chicken and rice. No need to let the delicious sauce go to waste! Garnish with some chili pepper flakes and/or scallions if desired.

* Follow the manufacturer instructions for your pressure cooker. I’m using Fagor Rapid Express Pressure Cooker. My pressure cooker has a pressure indicator that pops up when enough pressure builds up.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONVENTIONAL POT
1. Stir together tamari, chicken broth, water, honey/agave, balsamic vinegar, gochugaru (chili pepper flakes), garlic, and ginger. Set aside.
2. Scrub clean and peel potatoes. If you are using small/baby potatoes, you can leave the skin intact. Cut them into 1 – 1 1/2 inch pieces. Peel carrots and cut them into 1 1/2 inch cylinders. Cut onions into large pieces (roughly 3/4 – 1 inch pieces). Set the vegetables aside.
3. Heat a pot you’ll be using for the stew under medium heat. Add just enough oil to coat the bottom. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken pieces. Sear the chicken pieces. Once the chicken is seared, add the marinade from step 1. Cover the pot with a lid. Let the contents come to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer. Let the contents simmer for 25-30 minutes. Add additional water as necessary to replace any liquid lost through vaporization.
4. Add potatoes, carrots, and onions from step 2. Give the contents of the pot a gentle stir to ensure that the vegetables are covered in sauce. Let the contents come to a boil again. Lower the heat to simmer and let it simmer for another 25-30 minutes, until the potatoes are crumbly and the sauce thickens.
5. Remove from heat and serve over rice. Make sure to scoop some sauce remaining in the pot over the chicken and the vegetables, as well as the rice. No need to let the delicious sauce go to waste! Garnish with a sprinkle of chili pepper flakes and/or scallions if desired. Serve while hot.