Dak Baeksuk

Ingredients

• 1chickenwhole, about 1.4 kg; trim fat, tail and wing tips
• 12⅓ ozglutinous ricerinsed; cooked in the broth or separately
• 8½ cupsWaterfor the broth, start cold
• 8 clovesGarlicpeeled, simmered whole
• 2Spring onionsimmered whole or finely sliced as garnish
• 1Onionpeeled, added whole to the broth (optional)
• 2Gingerthin slices, for the broth (optional)
• Saltto season the broth and at the table
• Black pepperfor seasoning at the table
• 3 tbspSoy saucefor the dipping sauce for the meat
• 2 tspVinegarfor the dipping sauce
• 1Korean medicinal herb mixready-made pack, simmer along and remove before serving (optional)
• 1 tspwasabifresh, stirred into the dipping sauce (optional)

Method

1. Clean the chicken: trim off the fat, wing tips, neck and tail, rinse it thoroughly inside and out and pat it dry. If you like, blanch the whole chicken briefly in boiling water, turning it once, then tip the blanching water away.
2. Rinse the glutinous rice until the water runs more or less clear and let it drain well.
3. Put the chicken in a large pot with the garlic cloves, whole onion, spring onion and ginger slices — or with the pack of Korean medicinal herb mix instead — and pour in the cold water. If you want the rice to cook along, spread it over the bottom of the pot first, under the chicken. If you prefer the rice on the side, start cooking it separately now as a side dish and keep it warm.
4. Bring everything to the boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for about 40 to 45 minutes, turning the chicken once or twice along the way.
5. Check for doneness by piercing the joint between thigh and body — if the juices still run pink, keep simmering.
6. Fish out the herb pack and the large aromatics, salt the broth and let it sit over the heat for another 5 to 10 minutes. If you cooked the glutinous rice separately, it should be ready by now and waiting in the bowls.
7. Lift out the chicken, let it rest briefly and pull or cut it into pieces. Fluff up the rice from the pot after a short rest and scrape the nurungji crust off the bottom.
8. For the dipping sauce, stir together the soy sauce, a little water and the vinegar, adding fresh wasabi if you want it.
9. Divide the rice, chicken pieces and hot broth between bowls, scatter over finely sliced spring onion and serve with the dipping sauce, salt and pepper at the table.

Tips and variations

A pressure cooker or Instant Pot speeds things up: rice on the bottom, chicken on top, around 25 minutes under pressure, then 10 to 15 minutes of resting. On the stove in an uncovered pot, the classic rhythm is two lots of 20 minutes over low heat with a turn in between, plus 5 to 10 minutes once you've salted the broth. Made with a small young chicken it becomes yeonggye baeksuk — just shorten the cooking time accordingly. For more depth, swap half the water for chicken stock. The dip can stay plain with just soy sauce and vinegar, or get a kick from fresh wasabi. Kimchi belongs on the table alongside, and if you cook the glutinous rice separately, simply ladle plenty of broth over it.