Dakgalbi

Sauce

1. Combine sugar, korean chili pepper flakes, Dashida or chicken flavoured stock powder in a mixing bowl.
2. Add some black pepper, soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce (we have a recipe for that too), sesame oil, mirin, minced garlic and Korean chilli paste.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of Korean curry powder. This is the secret of the restaurant recipe. However, if it is difficult to get it, you can skip it.
4. Put 100 ml of pineapple juice. If you have korean pear, apple or kiwi, you can also use one of them.

Protein

1. Cut protein of choice into bite sized pieces.
2. Marinate the protein in the sauce for at least 20 minutes - honestly you can prep it all a day ahead and it will only get better.

Vegetables

1. Sweet Potato - Peel and cut into thick sticks (like a pinky finger).
2. Onion - Slice or rough Dice
3. Scallions - cut diagonally in chunks.
4. Cabbage - Bite sized pieces, 1-2 inch squares.
5. Perilla - Chiffonade and use as a garnish.

Extras

1. Soak a handful (or more) frozen Korean Rice cakes in some water, just to pry apart, and begin the thaw, if you rush the thaw they can split. If you are worried, put them in the sauce (assuming you are not using real meat) and allow them to thaw out fully there.
2. Decide how many people you are cooking for, how much they usually eat, whether you want leftovers, and if you will keep the leftovers or add more goodies to your dish...
3. You can add a packet of 'fresh' udon noodles to soak up any extra sauce, thicken and add more calories.... You can put a river of cheese through the middle of the dish just before serving if you need to mellow the dish for someone or if they just NEED cheese... You can; after having eaten all the bigger chunks add a microwave serve of cooked rice, mix all the leftover bits and return to the heat to make fried rice (maybe add some kimchi, seasoned laver...), and if you are not vegan, you can gather all the rice into the centre of the pot and pour scrambled eggs around the rice, once cooked and cooled slightly, mix the eggs through the rice and serve, again.

Assembly

1. Take out the widest pan you have and put some oil on the pan.
2. Place sweet potatoes and rice cakes (if using) on the bottom.
3. Scatter the other vegetables (not the precious perilla if you were able to find it) on top.
4. Mound the Protein and the sauce in the middle on top of the top of everything else :)
5. Turn on the heat to MEDIUM and try NOT to stir it at first just to cook the vegetables first.
6. Optional - i usually add 1 cup of water to help the vegetables steam for a few minutes before i begin to stir.
7. Use 2 spatulas and stir it occasionally.
8. Decide which optional extras you are using if any, as the udon or whatever noodles you have may need to be boiled before adding, everything else can be added later...
9. Vegan chicken doesn't require cooking, just heating through, so the consistency of the sauce is more key to completion... It should be thick but still flowing? Add water if needed.
10. Add any noodles you want or not and decide to cheese, or not to cheese. While the pan is still hot clear a trench through the red sea and fill it with shredded cheese, something like mozzarella, turn off the heat, cover and allow to melt before serving.
11. If you were lucky enough to have perilla leaves, add them while the cheese is melting or just before serving regardless. It's still good without them, just different.

Serving

1. We serve this in the middle of the table where everyone can pick or scoop whatever they want from the one dish into their own little plates. For serving more people or people who think korean chillis are something to fear, add a bowl of rice for each person...
2. Leftovers if any can be made into fried rice with or without eggs, and or left to get cold in the fridge and stuffed into rice paper rolls later for lunches and snacks... no reason not to cook this for just two people... good leftovers are never a bad thing.