Spicy Chicken Stew (닭도리탕)

Happy Mother's Day! This recipe is another one of my mom's.When I was making this dish, it reminded me of home- the scent of the stew filled my kitchen and brought back memories of watching my mom make this exact dish. When I was little, I wouldn't ever want to eat this dish, because it was spicy. My mom would always make a separate, non-spicy one for me. This is one example of my mom's selflessness. She wanted to make food that I enjoyed, even if it was inconvenient for her. She was always willing to sacrifice time or anything else to care for her children. This day, this post celebrates all the things that our mothers do for us, and the love they share with us.

Spicy Chicken Stew (닭도리탕- Dak Doh Ri Tang)
6 Chicken Drumsticks
1 Onion
1 Carrot, peeled
1 Green Bell Pepper
2 Potatoes, peeled
1 tbsp Salt
1 cup Water
4 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
2 tbsp Red Chili Flakes (고추가루- Go Chu Ga Ru)
2 tbsp Sugar
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tbsp Ginger, minced 

1. In a large pot, place chicken drumsticks. 
2. Large-dice the onion, carrot, pepper, and potatoes, and add them to the pot. 
3. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, and stir gently to incorporate. 
4. Cover the pot, and bring to a boil on high heat. 
5. Reduce to medium, and continue to cook about 30 minutes.
6. As the chicken cooks, use a heat-resistant serving spoon or ladle to pour sauce over the chicken as it cooks. You should do this every few minutes, to ensure that the chicken gets coated with sauce as it cooks. 
7. After about 30 minutes, the sauce will begin to thicken from the starch of the potatoes. When the potatoes are tender, the sauce has thickened, and the chicken is cooked, remove from heat and serve immediately. 

This dish is best served with short grain rice- the sticky rice. You can separate them as pictured, or you can enjoy the stew over the rice, like curry. This dish is homey, delicious, and simple to make. You only need one pot and it takes less than an hour start to finish! Make this for your friends and family, especially for mom :)