Korean spicy chicken baked over dry rice noodles

Put minced ginger and garlic in a mixing bowl and pour rice vinegar over them so the acid touches the ginger.

Add soy sauce, a little salt, some brown sugar, ketchup, sesame oil and 2 to 3 tablespoons of gochujang, tasting the paste for heat first; whisk until combined.

Toss in the chicken thighs to coat, cover with plastic and refrigerate to marinate 1 to 8 hours (1 hour used).

Brush the baking dish with sesame oil and cover the bottom evenly with 8 ounces of dry rice vermicelli, pulling it apart and breaking pieces as needed.

Scatter over the broken-up maitake mushrooms, sliced Fresno chilies and sliced green onions.

Lay the chicken on top smooth side up, tucking thin or ragged edges under, and spoon the remaining marinade over each piece.

Swirl chicken broth in the marinade bowl and pour it into the bottom of the dish, avoiding the chicken; sprinkle with green onions.

Bake in the center of a 425 degree oven about 30 to 35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and more green onions.

Remove the chicken to a plate; toss the noodles with everything left in the dish using tongs and a fork, dress with a generous splash of rice vinegar (or citrus juice) and a drizzle of sesame oil, and toss again.

Plate the noodles topped with chicken, sesame seeds and green onions.

variation: for more sauce, simmer another batch of the marinade with about half a cup of water and spoon it over.