Dak-galbi

Alternative names	Spicy stir-fried chicken
Type	Bokkeum
Place of origin	Korea
Associated cuisine	Korean cuisine
Serving temperature	Warm
Main ingredients	Chicken
Food energy (per 4 serving)	788 kcal (3299 kJ)[1]
Media: Dak-galbi

Dak-galbi (닭갈비), or spicy stir-fried chicken, is a popular Korean dish made by stir-frying marinated diced chicken in a gochujang-based sauce with sweet potatoes, cabbage, perilla leaves, scallions, tteok (rice cake), and other ingredients.^[2] In Korean, galbi means rib, and usually refers to braised or grilled short ribs. Dak-galbi is not made with chicken ribs, however, its name is rather a nickname the post-War dish gained. Many dak-galbi restaurants have round hot plates that are built into the tables. Lettuce and perilla leaves are served as ssam (wrap) vegetables.^[3]

History and etymology

Although dak and galbi translate into "chicken" and "rib" respectively, the term dak-galbi does not refer to chicken ribs.

This dish was developed in the 1960s as grilled chicken-pieces, an inexpensive anju accompaniment to alcoholic drinks in small taverns on the outskirts of Chuncheon.^[4] It replaced the comparatively expensive gui dishes which were grilled over charcoal.^[4] Dak-galbi spread to Chuncheon's main districts, where the livestock industry was thriving and offered fresh ingredients with no need for refrigeration.^[4] As a relatively cheap dish served in large portions, it gained popularity with soldiers and students on a budget and earned the nickname "commoners' galbi " or "university student's galbi " in the 1970s.^[5]

The dish is a local specialty of Chuncheon and is often referred to as Chuncheon-dak-galbi.^[4] An annual festival dedicated to dak-galbi is held in Chuncheon, where there is also a dak-galbi alley with a large number of dak-galbi restaurants.^[6]