CHEF Lu Varley returns with her exclusive recipes for the Bury Times.

This week she explains how to create a Korean chicken dish which will go down well with the family, as well as dinner guests.

Korean food has become more popular over the past few years.

The Korean cuisine has evolved through cultural and political changes.

Originating from ancient agricultural and nomadic traditions in the Korean peninsula and southern Manchuria, it has evolved through a complex interaction of the natural environment and different cultural trends.

It is largely based on rice, vegetables and meat and Kimchee is served with every meal.

The ingredients vary since the country was divided into North and South Korea, the government of North Korea do not welcome outsiders, although they enjoy the same foods.

Chinese and Japanese invasions in the 14th century gave rice to the cuisine and that influence in Korea that remains today.

Like the Chinese and Japanese, they use chop sticks with every meal.

Unlike China and Japan, however, Korea was a never a tea-drinking nation China and Japan had to boil their water to drink it, Korea’s water was pure which led them to discover other beverages such as ginseng and ginger dinks (made from herbs of the same name) Soo Chunkwa (ginger drink) it is softer served on a special occasion during the winter especially at New Year.

Korean chicken

Ingredients

1 kg of skinned chicken thighs

4 tbsp oil

2 tsp chili powder

3 tsp Korean paste (available from Asian shops)

2 tbsp sesame oil

4 tbsp soya sauce

3 tbsp sugar

2-inch piece of ginger grated

6 cloves of garlic crushed

Salt to taste

Method

1 Slice all the chicken thighs into 3 pieces.

2 Combine all the other ingredients together in a large enough bowl, make sure you whisk the chili powder and it has dissolved. Marinate the chicken for ½ an hour at least, or a few hours in advance.

3 You can pan fry the chicken, grill or oven bake, heat the oven to 200c, 400f, for about 20 minutes. Or stir fry it for 8-10 minutes.

Sprinkle over sesame seeds and serve with steamed rice and kimchee a fermented cabbage dish which is considered a national favorite.