Come autumn or winter, dak-hanmari is a dish I wouldn't mind eating at least once a week.
There's a whole alley of dak-hanmari restaurants appropriately called "Dak-hanmari Alley" (닭한마리 골목), Jin Ok Hwa Halmae's Dak-hanmari is arguably the most famous one.
Dak-hanmari translates to “a whole chicken.” That is essentially what you get – a whole chicken sitting in a tub of broth with potato slices and chopped green onion (the large kind referred to as 'dae-pa' in Korean). A potato slice is usually savagely wedged into a slit cut horizontally across the chicken's torso. You're also provided with a dollop of minced garlic to add to the minimally seasoned broth (I like to throw in all of the garlic).
A woman arrived with our meal, raised the chicken just above the broth, and used a pair of scissors to cut it into pieces. While waiting for the broth to reach a fast boil to completely cook the chicken, I prepared my dipping sauce - red chili paste mixed with a bit of soy sauce, vinegar, and mustard. This is also the perfect time to get your kimchi (self-service).
The real treat of this meal follows after you finish the tender pieces of chicken; adding rice to the remaining broth and letting it simmer until the mixture reduces produces a savory jook (porridge). Rice is my preferred carb for this finale, but noodles and rice cakes are also available upon request.
Such a hearty meal warranted a deep nap, but we decided to grab coffee and hop on the next train to Jeonju.
תגובות