Dak Galbi (닭갈비)

Dak galbi is a beloved street-food-turned-dinner-party centerpiece from Chuncheon in Gangwon Province, where diners gather around a tabletop iron griddle to cook spicy marinated chicken with chewy rice cakes and sweet potato. The name literally means "chicken ribs," a playful nod to the dish's irresistible gnaw.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Marinade

• 800g (1¾ lb) boneless chicken thighs, cut into 4cm pieces
• 3 tbsp (45ml) gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
• 1 tbsp (15ml) gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
• 2 tbsp (30ml) soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (15ml) sesame oil
• 1 tbsp (15g) sugar
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp (30ml) rice wine (mirim)

For the griddle

• 200g (7 oz) tteok (cylindrical rice cakes), soaked in water 20 minutes
• 200g (7 oz) sweet potato, peeled and sliced 5mm thick
• ½ small cabbage (300g / 10 oz), roughly chopped
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 2 stalks spring onion, cut into 3cm lengths
• 1 tbsp (15ml) vegetable oil

To serve

• Perilla leaves or butter lettuce for wrapping
• Steamed rice

Instructions

1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken pieces and toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
2. Set a large cast-iron griddle or wide frying pan over medium-high heat. Add oil and heat until shimmering.
3. Arrange sweet potato slices in a single layer and cook 3–4 minutes per side until golden at the edges.
4. Add the marinated chicken and spread across the griddle. Cook 4–5 minutes without stirring, letting the edges caramelise.
5. Add cabbage, onion, and soaked rice cakes. Toss everything together and cook, turning frequently, for a further 8–10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the rice cakes are tender with crispy edges.
6. Scatter spring onion over the top and serve directly from the griddle, wrapped in perilla leaves.

Cook's Notes: For fried rice at the end, push everything to the side, add a little butter and cooked rice to the cleared space, press down, and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes to form a crispy crust. Frozen tteok should be thawed completely before using.