4 servings
You'll need a 5- 7 litre slow cooker.
Light soy sauce is thinner and saltier than regular soy sauce, but you can use regular soy sauce here.
Serve with pickled vegetables, such as carrots, okra and daikon.
MAKE AHEAD: This chicken tastes even better after a day's refrigeration.
Ingredients
One 1kg chicken, cut into 8 pieces (giblets and wing tips removed)
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 shallots, minced
One 10cm knob fresh ginger root, peeled and minced (3 tablespoons)
1 cup sake (may substitute Chinese rice wine or dry sherry)
1 1/2 cups no-salt-added chicken broth
2 1/2 cups chopped cabbage kimchi, with juices
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Cooked rice with coriander and mint, for serving
Method
Pat the chicken pieces dry, then season liberally with salt all over.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, work in batches to brown the chicken pieces on both sides, transferring them to a plate as you go. (This should take about 10 minutes on the skin side and 3 minutes on the second sides.)
Once all the chicken's done, add the shallots and ginger to the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring, until softened. Pour in the sake; increase the heat to high and cook for about 2 minutes, or just long enough for the wine to evaporate.
Transfer the shallot mixture to the slow cooker, then add the chicken pieces and broth. Add 1 1/2 cups of the kimchi and its juice, plus the soy sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours.
Uncover and add the crushed red pepper flakes and the lime juice, stirring gently to incorporate. (The chicken will be falling-apart tender.)
Divide the chicken, its kimchi sauce and some rice among individual wide, shallow bowls or plates. Top each portion with some of the remaining cup of kimchi, and place a few pickled vegetables on the side of each one. Serve warm.
Adapted from "The Chef and the Slow Cooker.