Korean-style roast chicken

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Korean
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 250 grams kimchi
  • 2 tbsp gochujang paste
  • 2 tbsp low-salt soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 whole free-range chicken
  • 2 tbsp runny honey

Buns

  • sesame oil
  • 1 tin of light coconut milk
  • 500 grams self-raising flour (250g = 250g flour + 1tsp baking pwdr + 1tsp baking sofa)

Slaw

  • 2 carrots
  • 4 spring onions
  • 2 fresh red chillis
  • 1 bok choi
  • ½ chinese cabbage
  • 2 limes
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • ½ tsp gochugaru 

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C.
  • Toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan for 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden and nutty.
  • Put the kimchi, gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar and 2 tablespoons of the sesame seeds into a blender, and whiz until smooth.
  • Place the chicken in a snug-fitting baking tray. Pour one third of the marinade over the chicken and rub it in to all the nooks and crannies. Roast for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until everything is gnarly and cooked through.
  • Add the honey to the remaining marinade and blitz until combined. Pour half into a small bowl and set aside – this will be your dipping sauce. Keep the rest of the sauce for your glaze.
  • For the buns, cut out 12 x 8cm squares of greaseproof paper and rub each one with a little sesame oil to stop the buns sticking. Pour the coconut milk into a large mixing bowl, then add the flour and a good pinch of sea salt. Start mixing with a fork then get in there with your hands and knead until you have a soft, smooth dough – or do all this in a food processor.
  • Tip the dough onto a flour-dusted work surface and roll into a sausage shape. Quarter it, then cut each piece into three to make 12 even-sized pieces and roll each into a ball. One-by-one, with a rolling pin, roll the balls into 10cm x 12cm ovals. Lay an oiled chopstick across the middle like a hinge, fold the dough in half and pull the chopstick out. Place each bun on a little rectangle of greaseproof paper ready for steaming.
  • Remove the chicken from the oven and turn it off. Spoon over the reserved glaze to create another sticky layer and sprinkle over the remaining sesame seeds. Transfer to a plate and return to the oven to keep warm and tighten up the glaze while you cook the buns.
  • Working in batches, place the buns on their greaseproof squares into a large bamboo steamer and pop the lid on. Place the steamer over a large frying pan or wok filled with 300ml of boiling water and steam for 8 to 10 minutes, or until fluffy and cooked through.
  • For the slaw, scrub the carrots, trim the spring onions and chillies (deseed if you like), bok choi and cabbage. Finely zest and juice the limes into a serving bowl, add a little sesame oil and a good pinch of gochugaru. Finely chop all the slaw ingredients, drop them into the dressing bowl and toss with your hands to dress.
  • Shred the chicken and serve with the coconut buns, slaw and remaining sauce.
original recipe