Today I'm talking with acclaimed author of Daughters Of Shandong, Eve J. Chung. We talk about her grandmother's harrowing escape from communist China to Taiwan and how food represents love and survival across cultures. The recipe she tells us about is a Korean-Taiwanese fusion that transforms a traditional stew into something that bridges two culinary worlds!

Eve's Links:
Book: Daughters Of Shandong
Instagram: @Eve.J.Chung.Writes
Recipe: Korean-Taiwanese Chicken and Potato Stew (Dakdoritang)

Ingredients

• Chicken drumsticks (or boneless chicken thighs for shorter cooking time)
• Potatoes (any type, cut into saltine cracker-sized chunks)
• Carrots (optional - Eve omits them)
• 1 yellow onion, quartered
• Garlic, ginger, and scallions (the "Chinese Holy Trinity")
• Soy sauce (start with 1/4 cup, adjust to maple syrup color)
• 2-3 tablespoons mirin (sweet cooking wine)
• 3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean spicy paste) - omit for kids
• Sugar (optional - traditional recipe calls for it, but Eve omits)
• 1/4 cup water (or more as needed)
• Sesame oil for finishing
• Fresh scallions for garnish
• Oil or butter for sautéing

Instructions

1. Sauté aromatics (garlic, ginger, scallions) in oil or butter
2. Brown chicken (optional step - can skip for Instant Pot)
3. Add potatoes, carrots (if using), and onion
4. Add soy sauce until stew is light maple syrup color
5. Add mirin and gochujang to taste
6. Add water as needed to prevent drying out
7. Simmer covered for 30 minutes (15 minutes in Instant Pot)
8. Check that chicken juices run clear
9. Finish with sesame oil and fresh scallions
10. Serve over rice
    Note: This is a very forgiving recipe - adjust ingredients to taste. You can substitute other meats with adjusted cooking times.

Christine's Links #ad:
Quick Pickle Recipe
THE BEST Garlic Butter Recipe
Book: "Atmosphere" by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Spotify Playlist: Atmosphere

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