Dak Bokkeum with Spinach (Korean Stewed Chicken)

It is a weekend at home in between trips.  Last week I was in Boston; next week I'll be going to Tokyo.  So I'm enjoying some downtime.  Today was a day of a trip to the gym, running errands, etc.  The usual weekend stuff.  But I've relished just being at home and with Wayne.  After the 20 degree temperatures I experienced in Boston which reminded me that "cold" is relative, I enjoyed our day with highs in the upper 50s.  Still cool enough to make and enjoy a stew, but very civilized compared to the situation on the East Coast where they are shoveling their way out from 2-3 feet of snow.

I've been wanting to make this recipe for quite some time, and the upcoming trip to Asia has me in the mood for Asian fare.  I haven't cooked any in quite a long time.  Wayne was commenting tonight about my long-neglected wok.  But this is not a stir-fry, so the wok continues to be relegated to the back reaches of my cabinet, envious of the red new-comer amongst it.  In keeping with our theme, the dish is a Korean chicken stew.  The recipe was given to me by my friend Angele who does ALOT of cooking and is always trying out new recipes.  She tried it out around this time last year and liked it, so passed it along to me and two of our other friends (who happen to be Korean).  I don't know whether they've tried it or would consider it close to authentic, but it sure is flavorful and tasty regardless.

The recipe is from Cooking Light and can be found at My Recipes:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/dak-bokkeum-spinach-korea-50400000119683/
It has a couple ingredients I didn't have on hand that I had to buy - gochujang (Korean chile sauce) and dark sesame oil.  Both were available at Whole Foods.

The first step in the recipe is to make a delicious-smelling marinade that consists of the gochujang and sesame oil as well as soy sauce, fresh minced ginger and garlic, brown sugar and green onions.  Based on the ingredients and the wonderful aroma of the marinade I knew I was going to like this dish.

After the chicken marinaded, it was transferred to Le Creuset with a little water added to simmer.

Once the chicken is cooked through and the sauce reduced slightly, the green onion tops and spinach are added.  It always amazes me how quickly a large bunch of spinach can wilt down to nothing.

The Dak Bokkeum is served over rice with toasted sesame seeds on top.  It is a nice presentation.

We really liked the flavor of the sauce.  It has the perfect amount of spicy heat, and there is a subtle bit of sweetness in the background.  The greens offer a nice contrast, and the toasted sesame seeds add some nuttiness.  It all works very well together.  When I asked just now if Wayne had any comments on the stew, he replied, "It was very tasty.  I liked it". So there you have it!