Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Braised Chicken and Potatoes

Cookbook Countdown is a monthly cooking/baking event, which I'm co-hosting with Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray.  Everyone is welcome to join us. How does it work? To summarize, you may select a cookbook from your own cookbook collection, to cook or bake from each month. That selected book shall be your cookbook of the month. You may cook any recipes and as many recipes as you want from your selected book of the month. This is a fabulous way of using your cookbooks at least once! For more information on how to join Cookbook Countdown, please click here. 


To link to Cookbook Countdown #11, click here
To link to Cookbook Countdown Specials : BAKE, click here


************************


My selected cookbook for this month, 


A lovely book on Korean food, recipes are simple and doable by any homecooks. I like the simplicity of the recipes with delicious results. 


The first dish I've made from this book, Braised Chicken and Potatoes



I have made braised chicken and potatoes many times. I first got to know about this dish from maangchi.com website, my favourite Korean food blog. Maangchi calls this dish as Spicy Braised Chicken, which I cook very often at home. The main ingredients for the braising sauce are similar, with just minor differences in the veggies used in both recipes. Maangchi has sliced green chillies added in, and this author has added carrots. But both have potatoes, and I would usually add lots of potatoes to the pot. Also, Maanghi's recipe has a little sugar added in, but I have always omitted the sugar, preferring it without. The gochujang paste is savory yet a little sweet with mild spiciness, and I absolutely love it! I used to buy a 500gm pack of gochujang paste, but now I always buy a 1 kg pack. 

This is a very easy dish to cook and the flavour is so delicious! Mix everything together and braise until the chicken and potatoes are tender! Note : I've added the potatoes during the last 15 to 20 minutes of cooking time.



I have cook this dish using half a large chicken chopped to bite-sized pieces, boned-in, and skinless. In the recipe below, it was listed as 2/3 cup of soy sauce with 1/3 cup water. I'm not sure whether is this correct, but I have used 1/4 cup of soy sauce and 1-1/2 cups of water. I've added more water, gochujang paste and gochugaru, because we wanted more gravy to go with rice, adjusting the amount of each ingredient to taste. With the 1/4 cup of soy sauce, it was salty enough. 

We love this dish, I have cooked this many times, and will be cooking it many more times! I have even cooked this dish with pork shoulder cut to bite-sized cubes cooked till tender. It was even better with pork! Of course if using pork, you got to adjust the cooking times a little longer and the potatoes to be added in later. Either with chicken or pork, this is one dish that you will enjoy with white fluffy steamed rice.


Braised Chicken and Potatoes (Dakdoritang)
(adapted from "Seoul Food Korean Cookbook", by Naomi Imatome-Yun)
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into large pieces (half a large chicken, cut to bite-sized pieces, bone in, skinned)
1 large carrot, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 yellow onions, cut into large chunks
2 large potatoes, cut into large chunks
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2/3 cup soy sauce (I use 1/4 cup)
1/3 cup water (I use 1-1/2 cups)
3 tablespoons gochujang (more, according to taste)
1 tablespoon gochugaru (more, according to taste)
1 chopped scallions, for garnish (optional)

  1. In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, combine the chicken, carrot, onions, and potatoes.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, soy sauce, water, gochujang, and gochugaru. Whisk to combine.
  3. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. (I've added the potato chunks during the last 15 to 20 minutes of cooking).
  4. Add the scallions, if using. Serve hot.


Grab a  cookbook and join us!

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #11 hosted by 



6 comments:

  1. Not familiar with Korean food, but the combo of chicken and potato is always great.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Joyce, this chicken dish looks delicious...really packed with flavors...I just need a bowl of rice to go with it...
    Have a great week :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ah! I used to eat this at the Korean restaurant opposite my old office. It is very tasty and I have been looking for the recipe. I am going to try this. Thanks for sharing, Joyce!

    ReplyDelete
  4. oooh looking forward for recipes from the book, it was only recently I tried my first Korean dish , never realized they had chilli in their cuisine. Love this stew, looks absolute yumm

    ReplyDelete
  5. Gorgeous colors you got there in the bowl! I wonder how spicy can Korean food be? Let's see if I can find a Korean recipe book soon! Emily

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love it when I have to look up ingredients I haven't heard of gochugaru and gochujang. How can you go wrong with chicken and taters.

    ReplyDelete