Jono & Jules do food & wine

Heaps of flavour in this Korean-inspired dish by Melissa Hemsley. Great on a weeknight with a green salad.

Wine Suggestion: This, like a lot of Korean dishes, is assertive, and has layers of bold flavours which makes winematching tricky but there are a number of options. Firstly a dry Marsala or dry Oloroso sherry. If neither of these are to hand then a lush and fruit forward red from Portugal. Our choice tonight was the Quinta de la Rosa Tinto from the Douro. They make lovely Ports here too, but have also dedicated vineyards and care for their dry wines as well; well worth searching out.

Korean chicken with sesame sprinkle – serves 2

• 4 chicken thighs
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves finely chopped or grated
• 3cm piece of ginger, finely chopped or grated
• 1 tsp chilli flakes or Korean chilli powder
• 1½ tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 6 tbsp tamari
• 2½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp maple syrup

FOR THE SESAME SPRINKLE

• 4 tbsp black & white sesame seeds (we only had white)
• 2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
• ½ tsp chilli flakes or Korean chilli powder

Preheat the oven to fan 220C/Gas 9.

Mix everything together(except the ingredients for the sprinkle) in a large heavy baking dish. Spread the chicken pieces out in a single layer, skin side down, and bake for 12 minutes.

Stir everything in the dish and turn the chicken pieces skin side up. Roast for another 12 to 15 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Meanwhile, prepare the sesame sprinkle by mixing the ingredients together. Sprinkle over the cooked chicken and serve.

(Original recipe from Eat Happy by Melissa Hemsley, Ebury Press, 2018.)