Craving for Takalbi

One of the many things I had to do in my brief trip to Seoul was to check out their food. Indeed, in travelling, the closest way to know a country's culture is thru their cuisine. So while in Naminara Island, our amazing tour guide Ju took us to a quaint Korean restaurant for lunch. 

She had us tried their famous chicken dish Takalbi. Kalbi basically means grilled but when you add the prefix 'ta' I guess it becomes grilled chicken (I still stand corrected :D). Here is a photo of that meal in Naminara Island.

I took this photo while the waiter was in the middle of cooking our dish. This actually looks stir-fried to me but, actually, it is grilled. I bet you know how most Korean meals are prepared. A Korean dining room actually has a grill and a grill pan right at the middle of the table where they cook their kalbi dishes, which brings me to my next recipe--my take on the Korean Takalbi. 

As I have said earlier, Takalbi is a grilled chicken. But unlike, the usual grilled chicken that we usually just cook over a grill, seasoned with salt and pepper or marinated--Takalbi is different. In this dish, Koreans add in garlic, onion, toppoki, cabbage, nori, bell pepper and of course the chicken chunks... Sounds like a stir-fried dish right, but it is, indeed, what they call grilled chicken. And you know what makes it so distinct---the Korean Chilli Paste. Oh, that Chilli Paste is like a trance---it just takes me back to that Seoul vacay. Sometimes I find myself craving for it. Good thing, I know how to cook and with a help of that Korean paste, I almost get to pull off the dish. :) Emphasis on the word ALMOST.

DISCLAIMER: If by any chance you are a Korean who gets to read this entry, please note that by making my own version of your delicious Takalbi means that I really like your food and that this is for home cooking purposes only. Kamsahamnida. :)

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken strips or chunks (breast part marinate it with salt and pepper)

Chopped Garlic

Thinly sliced onions

Enoki Mushrooms

Nori

Sesame Oil

Salt

Pepper

1 Red Chilli (chopped)

Brown Sugar

Korean Chilli Paste

Cabbage

PROCEDURE:

1. On a pre-heated pan pour in about 2 tablespoons of sesame oil. 

2. Put the onions and let it sweat out. Then add in the garlic.

2. Add in the chicken chunks. And let it cook for about 3 minutes.

3. When the chicken turns white you may now add the Korean Chilli Paste. The measurement will actually depend on the serving of the dish you are preparing. But on here, I put 3 spoonfuls of the paste.

4. Slowly stir everything.

5. For my version, I put in some Enoki mushrooms. However, traditionally, they add in toppoki and bell pepper.

*Enoki mushrooms are very delicate and I suggest that you add it when everything is almost cooked.

6. Add in the chopped red chili. Ideally, Takalbi is somewhat spicy and sweet so here is the trick, you can add a little of brown sugar if it is too hot. Add in a little of salt and pepper to balance the favors. It actually depends on your palette. Bu it has to taste spicy and sweet.

7. Then add in the cabbage. Stir everything.

8. Again, traditionally, Koreans mix in the rice, but I opted to serve this as a separate dish. 

9. Add some crushed nori for garnish. 

*You may also prepare a shrimp soup and stir-fried bean sprouts on the side or a bowl of kimchi. You know Koreans eat a lot of appetizers. :)

So here it is--my take on the Korean Takalbi. :)

Differently delicious and yet easy to make.

(Ooh yeah, I think I am turning Korean. :D)