Korean Inspired Spicy Chicken (Video)

     During my travels in Japan I was really inspired by all the foods I saw and ate. I was amazed at the freshness and crisp smell of the vegetables. Even the cuts of meat were screaming at me to buy them. However, what I loved most was the simplicity of the dishes. The ingredients used had such a major role in producing bold, vivid, and scrummy simple dishes. Throughout the course of my 10 day trip in Japan, I went on a street food quest, waiting in long ques in freezing temperatures only to taste what this long que of people were patiently waiting to order. I was never disappointed as there was not one dish I stumbled on that I did not like. On the contrary, there were moments where I wished I had the stomach of a whale to experience all these foods non-stop all day long. 

     The presence of Korean food is quite prominent in Japan. I for one am a huge fan of Korean food, but the Japanese people love and crave it alike. The everyday family food is simple in Korea, there is always rice, a soup of some sort, a namul (side salads) or kimchi, some vegetables and a protein dish. 

     Koreans' cooking methods vary, but are mainly one of grilling, barbequing or braising. The braising, though rewarding in its flavours, is a technique that requires some time, however grilling and barbequing are straightforward techniques that are brisk, easy and surely tasty. Grilling and barbequing rely on meats being marinated beforehand allowing flavours to infuse producing a master piece explosion of the yin and yang that joyfully hits the palate and the taste buds. 

This recipe is my interpretation of the well-known spicy Korean chicken. I have fused ingredients from Korea and Japan to produce this easy and fast recipe, which I guarantee you and your family will dote on. 

This recipe is really easy to follow, and even an inexperienced cook or teenager could manage to produce it succssefully. It is so fast that it would make a great meal for a working family with little time to spare on cooking. 

Ingredients:

Servings: 3

• 700 grams skinless chicken breast 
• 2 tbsp. sesame oil 
• 1 tsp. Himalayan salt 
• 1 tsp. sugar 
• 1 tsp. cracked pepper 
• 2 tbsp. grated ginger 
• 2 tbsp. Gochujang chili paste 
• 9 cloves of garlic, minced 
• 3 tbsp. soy sauce 
• ½ cup mirin 
• 2 green onions sliced 2 cm long

Method:

•  Slice the chicken breast into thin strips and place in a glass bowl. 
•  Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl and to the chicken. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to marinade for at least 1 hour. Note: For better results it is best to marinate for two days. 
•  Heat a non-stick fry pan or if using a wok ‘add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil’ and fry the chicken in small batches in order to maintain a constant temperature of the pan. Fry until it starts to caramelize and the chicken is cooked through. 
•  Serve with steamed rice or a salad. 

Tips:

•  You could substitute the chicken with any protein you desire including firm tofu. 
•  If you can’t find gochujang chili paste substitute it with 1 tablespoon harissa paste and add 2 more teaspoons of sugar. 
•  If you can’t find mirin mix 6 tbsp. of rice wine with 1 tbsp. of sugar, otherwise use 1/2 a cup of sweet Marsala wine. 
•  In order to eat a complete meal I recommend having some steamed vegetable on the side or make a corn and sweet pea rice stir-fry using the same pan from cooking the chicken in order to absorb all the juices and flavours. 

Per Serving: 435 Calories; 16g Fat (35.2% calories from fat); 54g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 142mg Cholesterol; 1933mg Sodium.

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