The Happy Wanderer

Dakgalbi is often a foreigner favourite in Korea. It’s not so much a type of food but rather a ‘food event’. There are often several stages as shown in the photos, and many modern places also throw in whatever extras are on the menu. One of the best extras is probably cheese because you watch it melt before your eyes and you might get to witness a kind of mini parting of the Red Sea – but with cheese instead of saltwater, also  chicken instead of a population of Jews fleeing the persecution of that Pharaoh in Ancient Egypt. As analogies go, that last one might be one of the worst, but I don’t care because I’m biblical.

 So, what the hell is it?  I would classify it as spicy stirred-fried chicken  where the ingredients are stirred fried in a large pan placed in the center of the table. Like many Korean foods it’s great for sharing. The best varieties (included below) contain tender chicken pieces in a spicy marinade, but the real seller for me is the texture. After frying the chicken they add  cabbage and some other vegetables:sesame leaves, leeks, sweet potatoes. They also add  rice cakes in case you need some carbs. After the various stages you are left with an excellent balance of sweet, spicy chicken with crunchy vegetables.

The base of the sauce is gochujang – which is a Korean chili paste. Most places will serve about three levels of spice. If it’s too spicy for the foreigner you can balance it out a bit with your ‘ssam’ wrap which consists of lettuce and a few other veggies. If you want it spicy you can add some more chili or garlic in your lettuce wrap.

Every place I have been for this meal has a server or chef who makes it round the tables to stir fry it for about 10 minutes. I think the key point is probably the crunchiness of the cabbage. If this gets soggy you’ve lost it! My favourite part of the ending when they may offer you some stir fried rice to soak up the remaining sauce. This sometimes comes with some lava or kim and gets smashed around the pan. It’s pretty heavy on the carbs so go to Dakgalbi place when you’re really hungry.

The pictures comprise three of my Dakgalbi highlights. One of theme is in my neighbourghood – Jangan Dakgalbi. One is in Gangnam –  Jangin Dakgalbi. Finally, the outdoor pictures are from the home of Dakgalbi – Chuncheon.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jangin-Dakgalbi/1694323930819687 – I visited Jangin in Gangnam

http://blog.naver.com/lovelyssing/220931626086 – Pictures and map for Jangan Dakgalbi (Korean Blog)

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/ATR/SI_EN_3_2_1.jsp?cid=1373574  – Chuncheon Dakgalbi festival. If you are at a different time of year it’s still worth a visit.