Serves 4
Cooking time: 2 hours
Hi everybody, The weather is getting hotter these days, and before we know it, it’s chicken soup season again!
Today I’m going to show you how to make dakgomtang.
You may remember my samgyetang recipe. Samgyetang is made with a small whole chicken stuffed with fresh ginseng, jujubes, garlic, and glutinous rice.
Dakgomtang is a little different. The chicken is simmered until tender, then the meat is separated from the bones. The bones go back into the pot and simmer gently to make a light, slightly milky broth.
I can almost hear you asking, “How much broth can you really get from the bones of one small chicken?” : ) That’s why many Korean restaurants add extra chicken legs to make a richer broth. But I prefer making it with just one chicken. The broth turns slightly milky and tastes light and delicate, which I actually enjoy more than a very rich broth.
Important tips:
- I tested this recipe several times and found that adding a little ginger (about 1 tablespoon) while the chicken cooks helps eliminate any unpleasant odor.
- When the broth is done, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer lined with a clean cotton cloth or a few layers of folded cheesecloth. This gives you a clear, clean broth and removes excess fat.
- Don’t skip the soy sauce relish and spicy seasoning paste. They make the meal even more delicious!
Ingredients
- 4 servings freshly cooked rice
- 1 whole chicken (3-4 pounds; about 2 kg)
- 12 garlic cloves
- 1 medium onion, cut in half
- 1 tablespoon peeled and minced ginger
- 2 large green onions (or 6 regular green onions)
- 1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- Ground black pepper, for serving
For soy sauce relish:
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 green chili pepper, chopped
- ¼ cup onion chunks
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
For spicy seasoning paste:
- ¼ cup gochugaru (Korean hot pepper flakes)
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- ¼ cup chicken broth
Directions:
1. Cook the chicken
Wash the chicken under cold running water and put it into a large and heavy pot. I use my 8-qt Stainless Steel Stock Pot.
Add 1 gallon of water, the garlic, onion, ginger, and 1 whole large green onion (or 3 regular green onions). Cover and cook for 30 minutes over medium-high heat until vigorously boiling.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 40 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked.
Turn off the heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken and cooked vegetables to a large tray.
Add 1 tablespoon salt to the broth and stir. Cover the pot to keep the broth hot while you work on the chicken.
Discard the cooked onion, green onion, and ginger, but save the cooked garlic. You can wait until the chicken has cooled enough to handle.
2. Separate the meat from the bones
Using your hands or a large spoon, pull the chicken apart and separate the meat from the bones.
Shred the chicken breast meat into long strips along the grain and place it on the tray. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, and the reserved cooked garlic. Gently toss with your hands to combine.
Remove the darker meat from the thighs, drumsticks, and wings and tear it into bite-sized pieces with your hands. Arrange all the dark meat neatly on a serving plate. The skin can be discarded or served alongside the meat, according to your preference.
Now put the bones back into the pot, cover, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, until the broth gets a little milky. For a richer broth, simmer for up to 1 hour. Add water if needed to maintain about 10 to 12 cups of broth.
3. Make the soy sauce relish and seasoning paste
While the chicken bones are simmering, prepare the soy sauce relish and seasoning paste. The soy sauce relish is served with the dark meat. The seasoning paste makes the soup even more flavorful. Add it to your bowl just before eating, using as much or as little as you like.
- Soy sauce relish:
Combine soy sauce, vinegar, green chili pepper, onion, and garlic in a small bowl. Stir and set aside.
- Seasoning paste:
Combine the gochugaru, ¼ cup hot chicken broth, fish sauce, and ginger in a small bowl. Stir well and set aside to let the flavors come together.
4. Strain the broth
When the broth is ready, remove it from the heat and strain it through a fine-mesh strainer lined with a clean cotton cloth or cheesecloth into a large bowl. This will remove excess fat and impurities, leaving you with a clear, clean-tasting broth. You will get about 10 to 12 cups of broth. Wash the pot and pour the strained broth back into it.
5. Serve
Reheat the broth. Thinly slice the remaining large green onion and place it in a small bowl.
Prepare 4 large serving bowls and add rice to each bowl. Divide the seasoned chicken breast meat among the bowls. Ladle the hot broth over the chicken and rice. Top with the sliced green onion.
Serve with the plate of dark meat, along with the soy sauce relish, spicy seasoning paste, and black pepper on the side. Let everyone season their soup to taste. Accompany with kimchi and any other side dishes you like.
Buy this recipe's ingredients online
I really like Weee! they deliver quality packaged and fresh Korean ingredients to the continental USA. Cheaper and better than Amazon! Check them out!
