How to Make Dakgalbi
A note about cooking ddeok (rice noodles):
Like most rice noodles, it’s best to pre-soak them in hot (but not
boiling) water for at least 5 minutes before cooking. They can be tricky
to work with because they need water/sauce to absorb in order to
cook properly, but you don’t want to water down your sauce. That’s
where the cabbage, onions, and mushrooms come in. The moisture
from the cabbage is especially important because it adds so much
water. So even if your sauce looks too thick at first, adding the
cabbage will really water it down.
If you’re a vegetarian:
-replace the chicken with TVP or setain
-change the honey for agave syrup
-gochujang is normally made without any animal by-products (some
brands might use honey in them or fermented shrimp so read the
label carefully
-replace the curry bullion cubes with just curry powder (be aware that
some brands might use animal fat)
Serves 4 people (or 2 really hungry people…ahem…Simon and
Martina…)
For the Sauce
2 tablespoons gochujang 고추장 (Korean Chilli Pepper Paste)
2 tablespoons rice wine or Mirin (味醂 or みりん)
1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons gochugaru 고추가루 (Korean Chilli Pepper
Flakes)
1 curry bouillon cube + 1 tablespoon of Korean yellow curry
powder
(2 1/2 tbsp Korean yellow curry powder if you’re not using the bouillon
cube at all)
1/2 cup hot water
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
The Rest of the Ingredients
2-3 chicken breasts
2 cups roughly chopped green cabbage
1 1/2 cup roughly diced green onions
1 small sweet potato sliced
1 small handful of enokki mushrooms (150g)
6 깻잎 (perilla/sesame leaves) chopped
8-10 basil leaves chopped
Optional but super delightful:
100g shredded mozzarella cheese
Sesame seeds for topping
1 cup (140g) ddeok 떡 (rice cakes)
(or, if you can’t get ddeok, 1 package udon noodles OR 1 package
plain ramen noodles)
Step 1 (soften the potatoes)
Roughly chop the cabbage and slice the sweet potato into thin circles.
Add a little bit of olive oil to a large skillet and add the sweet potatoes
with a handful of cabbage. Cover and let the potatoes soften over
medium-low heat. Let it soften for about 3 min and give it a stir to
make sure it isn’t burning.
Step 2 (pre-soften the rice noodles)
Open the ddeok (rice noodles) and starting soaking in hot water.
Step 3 (make the sauce)
Take all the sauce ingredients and just dump them into a bowl. Yell
BAM when you do it. Mix well. If you’re using the curry bullion, soften
it first by adding a cube to 1/2 cup of boiling water and mashing with a
fork until smooth.
Step 4 (add the protein)
Slice the chicken into strips and add it to the sauce. Coat the chicken
thoroughly.
Step 5 (start cooking everything)
Add the sliced green onions and the rest of the cabbage to the sweet
potatoes, stir. Add the chicken and sauce mixture. Coat everything,
put the heat on medium-low, and put a lid on it. Set a timer for 5
minutes.
Step 6 (check for sauce thickness)
After 5 minutes, give it a stir. If it looks dry (like it’s starting to stick to
the pan) add a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water. Stir.
Step 7 (add the ddeok + mushrooms)
Drain the ddeok and it to the mixture and coat thoroughly. There
should be enough sauce that the ddeok is covered. Add the
mushrooms (which will create more moisture) and put the lid on. Set a
timer for 3-5 minutes.
Step 8 (check the noodles + add the herbs)
Give the mixture a big stir. It should be saucy and thick. Poke your
ddeok with a spoon. If you can cut it in half with a spoon, you’re ready
to add the chopped perilla leaf and basil. Kill the heat so you don’t
murder your herbs and mix them in. Sprinkle with cheese and put the
lid back on.
Note: If you can’t cut through the ddeok easily, cover with the lid and
set a timer for 1-2 more minutes. Ddeok should be chewy and bouncy,
not mushy. If your’e adding udon or ramen noodles instead, add them
at this stage and follow the cooking time on the package.
Step 9 (serving)
Serve straight from the pan! Use lettuce or cabbage to wrap it up in,
or just eat as is. Enjoy!
Optional Game Changer: The Cheese Rice
-Once the meal is almost finished, it’s normal at dakgalbi restaurants
to add rice to the left over ingredients with cheese. If you do the
cheese rice method, omit the cheese during the cooking stage. Chop
up any final ingredients into smaller pieces using a spoon and add 1/2
cup to 1 cup of cooked plain rice.
-Stir fry over medium-high heat rapidly, flatten to the pan like a giant
pancake, kill the heat, and sprinkle on some low quality cheese.
-Cover and let it sit until melted.
-Use a spoon to eat it straight out of the pan! If you do it right, the
bottom of the rice gets all crispy. It’s hell to clean this pan, so soak it
overnight and enjoy a good movie. :P
Hope you get a chance to try this recipe! It took me many recipes to
get this recipe juuuuuust right. Let me know if you attempt it or if you
want to share a recipe of your own!
