Spicy and Sweet Cheese Dakgalbi
Spicy and Sweet Cheese Dakgalbi
Hearty Homemade Cheese Dakgalbi: Kkulcheo’s Signature Recipe
Hello everyone, Kkulcheo here! ♡ It’s Friday, but the rain just won’t stop today. ㅠ So, I’ve invited a few friends over to share some delicious cheese dakgalbi and cold beer. Let’s get started! ♡
Main Ingredients- 200g fresh chicken thigh meat
- 5-6 leaves of crisp cabbage
- 1/8 carrot
- 1/2 green onion stalk
- 5 perilla leaves
- 1/2 green chili pepper
- 1/2 red chili pepper
- 2 handfuls of shredded pizza cheese
Kkulcheo’s Special Seasoning Mix- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 3 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1.5 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp maesil-cheong (plum syrup)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp curry powder
- 2 Tbsp grated onion
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 0.3 tsp ginger powder
- 2 Tbsp mirin (rice wine)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 0.6 tsp black pepper
- 4 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 3 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1.5 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp maesil-cheong (plum syrup)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp curry powder
- 2 Tbsp grated onion
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 0.3 tsp ginger powder
- 2 Tbsp mirin (rice wine)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 0.6 tsp black pepper
- 4 Tbsp cooking oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, cut the chicken thigh meat into bite-sized pieces, about 3cm in size. Then, marinate the chicken with 0.5 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp mirin, and 0.3 tsp black pepper. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to absorb the flavors. This initial marination helps remove any gamey smell and ensures the sauce penetrates better.
Step 2
While the chicken is marinating, let’s prepare the vegetables. Chop the cabbage into large pieces to retain its crispiness. Slice the carrot thinly. Cut the green onion and chili peppers diagonally. Roll the perilla leaves and slice them thinly. Having all your vegetables prepped makes the cooking process so much smoother!
Step 3
Now, let’s make the magical seasoning sauce that will bring our dakgalbi to life! In a bowl, combine 1 Tbsp gochujang, 3 Tbsp gochugaru, 1.5 Tbsp sugar, 2 Tbsp maesil-cheong, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp curry powder, 2 Tbsp grated onion, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 0.3 tsp ginger powder, 2 Tbsp mirin, and 0.3 tsp black pepper. Add 1 Tbsp sesame seeds and 1 Tbsp sesame oil. Stir everything well until the sugar is completely dissolved. A well-mixed sauce is key to delicious dakgalbi!
Step 4
Now it’s time to stir-fry the marinated chicken. Heat 2 Tbsp of cooking oil in a pan over medium heat and cook the chicken. This step is called ‘pre-cooking.’ Doing this separately helps the sauce absorb better when stir-frying with the vegetables later, and ensures the chicken is cooked through. It also makes the chicken more tender and flavorful. Just cook until the surface is lightly golden brown.
Step 5
Add the pre-cut cabbage and carrots to the pan with the pre-cooked chicken. Mix in half (1/2) of the prepared sauce and toss everything together gently. Ensure the sauce coats the chicken and vegetables evenly. Pre-marinating at this stage prevents the sauce from burning and allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
Step 6
Now for the main stir-frying! Heat the remaining 2 Tbsp of cooking oil in a hot pan over medium-low heat. Add the chicken and vegetable mixture and stir-fry. Once the cabbage has softened about halfway, add the green onions, red chili peppers, and green chili peppers and continue to stir-fry. Finally, generously top with perilla leaves and pizza cheese. Turn off the heat once the cheese has melted into a gooey layer. The sight of that stretchy cheese will be irresistible!
Step 7
Voila! Your Kkulcheo’s spicy and sweet cheese dakgalbi is ready! My husband and friends raved that it was even better than the dakgalbi they had in Chuncheon, calling it ‘the best dakgalbi ever!’ Their praise makes me so happy today. ♡ I hope you all try making this delicious dish and enjoy a wonderful meal!
