Dak-gomtang (Korean Chicken Soup)
A deep, savory Korean chicken soup made from a whole chicken. The meat is simmered, shredded, and returned to the broth, then finished with plenty of green onion — a comforting, nourishing bowl.
Ingredients
Main
- Whole chicken1
- Onion1
- Green onion2 stalks
- Garlic clovesa few
- Whole peppercornsa little
- Bay leaves (optional)a couple
Blanching & Seasoning
- Rice wine (or soju)1/2 cup
- Minced garlic1 spoon
- Saltto taste
- Black peppera little
Directions
- 1
Blanch the chicken briefly in boiling water. Add 1/2 cup of rice wine (or soju) and the bay leaves to remove any gaminess.
- 2
Rinse the blanched chicken in cold water and trim off visible fat. In a clean pot, add the chicken, water, onion, green onion, garlic, and peppercorns, and bring to a boil.
- 3
Boil over high heat for about 30 minutes, then lift out the chicken and shred the meat, watching for bones. Skim out the onion, green onion, garlic, and any impurities floating in the broth.
- 4
Toss the shredded chicken with 1 spoon of minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
- 5
Return the seasoned chicken to the broth, simmer a bit longer, and add plenty of chopped green onion. Adjust the seasoning with salt and it's done.
Tips
Blanching the chicken first to remove fat and odor makes a much cleaner broth. Any cut of chicken works, whether soup or stew type.