Jjimdak (Korean Braised Chicken)

 from: Korean Bapsang

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 0.5 medium-sized chicken, cut up (2.5 to 3 pounds of cut pieces)
• 1.5 ounces sweet potato starch noodles (dangmyeon, 당면)
• 1 medium white or yukon gold potatoes (about 10 ounces)
• 0.5 medium carrot
• 0.25 medium onion
• 1.5 - 2 mushroom caps (rehydrated dried shiitake or fresh shiitake, white, or baby bella)
• 1 scallions
• 1 - 1.5 dried whole red chili peppers (4 to 5 small ones)
• 0.5 - 1 fresh chili peppers or jalapenos (optional)
• 1 tablespoons minced garlic
• 0.5 teaspoon grated ginger

Braising liquid:

• 0.25 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoons oyster sauce (If unavailable, use more soy sauce)
• 1 tablespoons rice wine (or mirin)
• 1 tablespoons dark brown sugar (if unavailable, use regular sugar )
• 1.5 to 2 tablespoons corn syrup, Korean jocheong (rice syrup) or Oligodang (or 2 to 3 tablespoons honey) Adjust to taste
• 0.13 teaspoon black pepper
• 0.5 tablespoon sesame oil
• 0.5 teaspoon sesame seeds

Instructions

• Soak the starch noodles in warm water for about 30 minutes while preparing the other ingredients. Drain well before using.
• Clean the chicken and cut into small pieces. Trim off excess fat.
• Cut the potatoes in chunks (about 1-1/2 inch) and soak them in water while preparing the other vegetables. Cut the carrot, mushrooms, and onion into bite-sized pieces.
• Add the chicken pieces to a large pot. Pour 3 cups of water over the chicken. (You should reduce the amount of water if not using the noodles.) Add the sauce ingredients except sesame oil and seeds. Bring it to a boil over high heat, uncovered, and continue to boil for about 10 minutes. Skim off the foam.
• Add the potatoes, carrot, mushrooms, onion, dried whole red chili peppers if using, garlic and ginger. Cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. You may see that there still is a lot of liquid, but the potatoes and starch noodles will soak up a lot of the liquid.
• Gently mix in the green chili peppers (or jalapenos), scallions and starch noodles, and continue to cook, uncovered this time, for an additional 3 minutes. Stir in the sesame oil. Garnish with the sesame seeds to serve.