Dak-Galbi
닭갈비
Serves 4 · Prep: 20 minutes · Cook: 20 minutes · Total: about 40 minutes, plus marinating
I use a generous amount of cabbage here because it shrinks quite a bit as it cooks. It softens into the sauce and helps keep the chicken from drying out.
Ingredients
Chicken and vegetables
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 14 ounces green cabbage, about ½ medium head
- 1 large yellow onion
- 8 ounces cylindrical Korean rice cakes
- 3 scallions
- 1 small Korean sweet potato, optional
- 8 perilla leaves, optional
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- ⅓ cup water, plus more as needed
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons gochujang
- 2 tablespoons gochugaru
- 2 tablespoons Korean soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin or Korean cooking wine
- 1½ tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice syrup, corn syrup, or honey
- 1½ tablespoons finely minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon Korean curry powder
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Cut the chicken
Cut the chicken thighs into 1½-inch pieces.
- 2
Mix the sauce
Mix the gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, rice syrup, garlic, ginger, curry powder, sesame oil, and black pepper in a large bowl.
- 3
Marinate the chicken
Add the chicken and stir until evenly coated. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
- 4
Prepare the rice cakes
If the rice cakes are firm or refrigerated, soak them in warm water for 10 to 20 minutes, then drain. Fresh, soft rice cakes can go straight into the pan.
- 5
Prepare the vegetables
Cut the cabbage into rough 2-inch pieces. Slice the onion into thick wedges and cut the scallions into 2-inch lengths. If using sweet potato, slice it into thin ¼-inch rounds or half-moons. Tear the perilla leaves into large pieces.
- 6
Heat the pan
Heat a wide 12 to 14-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil.
- 7
Layer the vegetables
Spread the cabbage and onion across the bottom of the pan. Add the rice cakes and optional sweet potato.
- 8
Add the chicken
Spoon the marinated chicken and all the sauce over the vegetables.
- 9
Steam covered
Pour ⅓ cup water around the edge of the pan. Cover and cook for 4 minutes.
- 10
Stir and simmer
Remove the lid and stir everything together. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the chicken cooks evenly and the rice cakes do not stick. Add a splash of water if the sauce becomes too thick before the chicken is cooked through.
- 11
Add the scallions
Add the scallions and optional perilla leaves during the final 2 to 3 minutes.
- 12
Finish and serve
Remove the pan from the heat when the chicken reaches 165°F, the rice cakes are tender, and the sauce is glossy but still loose enough to coat everything. Serve straight from the pan with steamed short-grain rice.
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