Jjimdak comes from Andong in Korea's north, and unlike most Korean chicken dishes it is not fiery red – it is dark, glossy and soy-sweet, closer to a braise than a stew. Chunks of chicken cook down with potato and carrot until everything is tender enough to eat with a spoon.
Glass noodles go in at the very end and drink up the braising liquid, which is the best part of the pot. Whole dried chillies add a slow background warmth rather than sharp heat, so it is a good one for feeding a table with mixed tolerances.
It is a genuine one-pot dinner – brown, braise, add noodles, done – and it reheats beautifully. Serve it in the middle of the table with rice and let everyone dig in.
