Instant Pot Konnyaku Noodles in Korean Stew-Chicken or Veggie option

With the smallest kitchen I've ever had and the weather being abnormally cool here still in CA's central valley it's the perfect day to share an Instant Pot recipe! Being a busy working woman means and less prep space means I need to easy to put together recipes (one pot things!) so you might expect to see more of those kinds of recipes. Though I may share a Thai Curry recipe I tried from my cookbook souvenir from fall's trip. 

I had a recipe saved on Pinterest whose link no longer works. Sad day. So to the best of my memory and using another recipe to supplement the flavors, I tried re-creating the former Vons website recipe. I credit the recipe on Pressure Cooking Today called Pressure Cooker Korean Chicken Thighs to help me with the sauce. 

This recipe posting was inspired by my friend Mario giving me some of his extra konnyaku noodles as the when I first made this recipe, the original recipe called for sweet potato zoodles which I could not find and don't have the kitchen tools to make. I hadn't made the effort to go look for more gluten free hoisin sauce or zoodles since. But 1 of 2 ingredients-can't waste it now!

Way back when (2013) for one of my detox months I tried konnyaku  (it also comes a cube you can slice into pieces) so here is a grapefruit salad dressing/salad and a chicken soup . My grandma makes a more traditional salad with it that I am going to have to ask her for!  That will be a goal for June!

Ingredients

1/4 cup hoisin sauce (Lee Kum Kee brand has gluten free)

1/4 cup mirin (a sweetened cooking wine)

1/4 cup tamari or other gluten free sauce (coconut aminos should work)

1 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or minced (I used 1 tsp powdered)

1/2 tbsp minced garlic

2 tbsp veg oil

1.5-2 lbs of chicken breast or 1.5 packages of firm tofu or white/brown mushrooms to make vegetarian

1 medium onion chopped
1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
2 tsp cornstarch (optional)
1/4 cup broth or water (optional)
4 small potatoes or two large scrubbed and chopped into 1/2-1" pieces-I recommend getting organic due to the dirty dozen list for 2019 (or at least peel conventional potatoes might help).
1 bag of baby carrots (1 lb)
1 pkg of konnyaku noodles drained and rinsed.

Steps

1.  If doing chicken, put 2 tbsp veg oil  in IP on saute function and brown the chicken breasts on each side. Remove chicken breasts from pot and set aside on a plate. If doing tofu or mushrooms you may saute those at this time and then remove to a plate.  

2. While chicken is browning mix the "BBQ" sauce in a small bowl (hoisin, mirin, tamari, rice vinegar) until well blended.

3. Put onion, ginger and garlic in pot. Cooking until onion is soft. 

4. Add the chicken (or tofu) back in (if mushrooms leave those to add back until later to avoid overcooking). Put the chopped potatoes, baby carrots, konnyaku noodles on top of chicken and onion mixture. Pour over the BBQ sauce and the 1 cup of broth.  Lock the lid. Set IP for 15 min high pressure and do quick release after.

5. If needed or desired to thicken sauce, mix 1/4 cup of water or broth and corn starch in a mug. Add slowly to the instant pot while stirring to get desired thickness. I usually leave this step out.

6. Serve as a stew alone or with a pot of fresh rice! 

For Fun

Have you been gifted with an ingredient and made something worth sharing this spring? Or have an ingredient and stuck? Either way, love to get inspired by you or try to help!