Dakgaejang - Spicy Chicken Korean Soup

5 from 5 votes

Prep the Whole Chicken: Use kitchen scissors to remove the tail portion that sticks out (reference video). Then trim any excess skin that may hang near the cavity of the chicken. Finally, reach into the cavity of the chicken - and scrape out any blood that runs along the spine (reference video).
Give the entire chicken a final rinse under running water. Then set onto a cutting board. Use a knife to cut through the breast piece - so the chicken can open-up and lie flatter (so it can be easily submerged into the pot).
Next, place the prepped chicken into a large pot. Add in 3L of water.
Next, add in our aromatics: Garlic (5 cloves), Bay Leaves (3), Ginger (3 thin slices), Whole Black Pepper (1 Tablespoon).
Place a lid-on. Bring the pot to a boil.
Once it's boiling, set a timer for 1 hour. Important: Reduce the heat now to a 'medium-low' or 'low' (we want a GENTLE simmer, not a roaring boil!)
[While you wait, please skip to the next section. However, we will check back in after 30 minutes to add the spring onion stalk to the pot]

Wash 5 stalks of spring onions - pat them down dry. Then use your knife to split the stalks in half. Cut them into small pieces (about the length of your pinky finger).
Open the Gosari (300g) from its package. Then give them a thorough rinse under running water. Afterwards, use your hands to squeeze-out the water from them. Untangle the squeezed bundles and dice them into bite-sized pieces.
Let's season the chopped gosari now. Place them into a mixing bowl. Then season with: Gochugaru Flakes (8 Tablespoons), Soy Sauce (5 Tablespoons), Minced Garlic (1 Tablespoon). Toss evenly and get everything well-coated. Set aside for now.
Next, finely dice 3 Cheongyang Chili Peppers.
Then, slice 2-3 Shiitake Mushrooms into thin slices.
Wash Mungbean Sprouts (250g) in water and set them aside on a strainer to drip off any excess water.

After 30 minutes of boiling, open the lid and give the pot a stir - to check that no pieces of the chicken is sticking to the pot.
Then add in 1 spring onion stalk. Close the lid. Check your timer - let's wait until the full 1 hour is finished... clean up your kitchen in the meanwhile!
After 1 hour of boiling has passed - turn the heat off. Open the lid and carefully take-out the whole chicken. Set it aside onto a plate so it can cool down.
Then use a strainer and remove all of the ingredients from the broth (i.e. garlic, black pepper, ginger, bay leaves, spring onion stalk). You can throw them away.
Next, use a fine strainer and skim-off oils that are floating at the surface of the broth - this will make for a cleaner tasting broth. (Note: You don't need to remove everything!)

Put on a pair of kitchen gloves (or use bare hands) and shred the entire chicken. Make sure to shred bits of the skin as well - it will add flavor back to the broth.
Afterwards, add all of the shredded chicken back into the pot.

Take out a large frying pan. Place on MEDIUM heat. Add Vegetable Oil (3 Tablespoons). Once the oil is hot, add in ¾ of the chopped spring onions (we'll save the rest for later). Stir-fry the spring onions in the oil for a few minutes or until it turns fragrant.
Then add-in the spicy marinated Gosari. Stir-fry them together with the spring onions for 2 minutes. (The heat builds a deeper flavor in the gochugaru.)
After 2 minutes, add the stir-fry mixture directly into the pot.
Next, add in 1 Cup of Water (250 ml) - don't forget this step!!
Place the pot on a high heat. Bring it to a boil.

When the stew comes to a boil, it's time to add in all of the fresh ingredients: Sliced shiitake mushrooms, Chopped chili peppers, Mungbean sprouts, the Remaining Spring Onion Slices.
Then season the stew with : Korean Anchovy Fish Sauce (3 Tablespoons), Soy Sauce (3 Tablespoons), Minced Garlic (2 Tablespoons), Black Pepper (6-8 cracks), Sesame Oil (1 Tablespoon). Give it a good stir.
Place the pot lid on and let it boil away for a minute.
While you wait, crack 4 eggs and beat it.
After 1 minute of boiling, pour-in the egg mixture in a circular motion... around the pot.
Don't stir the pot once you add in the eggs - give it about 30 seconds to set.
Now, give the soup a good stir with a soup ladle.
Give the soup a sample... if it taste slightly bland, add a few pinches of salt.
Scoop out servings from the master pot into individual bowls. Then serve it with a bowl of hot rice!
Bon Appetit ya'll!