jjim dak (찜닭), or braised chicken, is a popular dish in Korea that is loved by adults and children alike. Koreans often refer to this dish as andong jjim dak (안동 찜닭), since the dish originated in the city of Andong and has become popularized throughout the country over the years. The dish consists of various vegetables and chicken braised in a soy sauce-based marinade. In restaurants, the dish is often served in a huge pot, and family and friends can eat from it together while the dish continues to cook in front of them. Traditionally, in the last minutes of cooking, people like to add dang myun (당면), which are cellophane noodles made from sweet potato starch. Feel free to add them here if you wish!
A lot of jjim dak places use an unexpected ingredient in their sauce-- believe it or not, it's coca-cola! As the cola cooks, it adds a beautiful depth of flavor to the dish and tenderizes the meat. The sweetness imparted from the coke balances nicely with the saltiness of the soy sauce and the spiciness from the peppers! Hope you enjoy it!
currently listening to:
IU- 50cm
ingredients:
2 lbs chicken breasts or thighs (traditionally bone-in chicken pieces, but feel free to use boneless!)
1 lb baby potatoes (if using large potatoes, cut into large chunks)
2 carrots, cut into 1 1/2" chunks
1 large yellow onion
4-7 dried or fresh red Korean chiles (or 1 fresh jalapeno, seeded if you don't want it too spicy)
500ml/ (a little over 2 cups) coca-cola (or other brand of cola)
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 Tablespoons rice wine
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
prep time: 5 min
cook time: 30 min
serves 4
adapted from beyond kimchee
1. Chop the potatoes and carrots into large chunks, and dice the onion.
2. Bring water (enough to just cover all of the chicken) to a boil in a medium pot. Add the chicken, and wait for the water to come to a boil again. Once the water boils, remove the chicken and set aside. Basically, you are just poaching the outside of the chicken.
3. In another pot, combine the cola, soy sauce, rice wine, garlic and ginger. Place the chicken into the pot, along with the dry or the fresh chiles.
4. Bring the pot to a boil. If any of the chicken scum rise to the surface, use a spoon to scoop it out and throw it away. (Scum basically refers to any of the meat residues-- if you use chicken breasts, there will be less).
5. After the mixture comes to a boil, add the carrots, potatoes, and the onions. Stir well. Cover the pot and simmer on medium-low for 20 minutes.
6. Remove the lid, bring the heat to medium or medium-high, and cook for 5-7 minutes. When the sauce is reduced by about half and the vegetables are tender, the dish is done. Taste the carrots and/or potatoes to make sure that they are done.
7. Let the dish rest for a few minutes to allow the flavors to settle.
Enjoy! The dish is even better the next day, when the flavors have really seeped through the chicken and the vegetables!