So it’s time to try out the kimchi we started a couple of weeks ago. It’s a little worrying: the fridge had some pretty funky flavours coming out of it until Soph cut up some lemons and put those in the fridge. But will it taste like kimchi? Will it even be edible?

To go with it, or rather for it to go with, we’re doing a Korean-style sticky chicken loosely based on this AllRecipes one. I’m not really sure what makes it Korean to be honest, it just seems like regular Chinese/Asian flavours with honey to make it sticky, but all the other recipes (which were mainly sticky fried chicken) were basically the same…

Anyway: marinate/brine the chicken in soy/water/salt mix. Dry then dry, fry them, then coat in the sauce and heat until sticky. Separately stir-fry the veg in similar flavours. Mix the chicken into the veg at the end, then serve with sticky rice. Oh and of course the kimchi!

This is success all round! The chicken is lovely and plump and moist thanks to the brining (thanks America’s Test Kitchen for drilling that into me!). The sticky sauce has a really deep flavour. The rice is nice and sticky.

And the kimchi? It tastes like kimchi, and is edible! Actually it’s really nice. Also very very spicy – you only want a small amount on the side of the plate, but you do want it there: it really brings the whole dish together as a Korean meal.

We’ll definitely be keeping the kimchi in the fridge.