Kimchi-jjigae - Kimchi stew with meat and tofu

Recipes

23.10.2024

Kimchi Stew (Kimchi-jjigae 김치찌개)

Recipe from Mangchi

Kimchi-jjigae is one of the most-loved stews in Korean cuisine. It’s a warm, hearty, spicy, and delicious dish that almost everyone enjoys, as long as they can handle spicy food. I learned this recipe from a restaurant in Korea famous for its kimchi-jjigae. The restaurant was always packed with people eating steaming bowls of kimchi stew. There was only one item on the menu, so everyone came for the same thing: a hot pot of spicy kimchi-jjigae, a few side dishes, and a bowl of warm rice.

What really impressed me was that they brought the stew to the table uncooked, then fired it up right at the table. We would chat and watch the stew cook. I could clearly see the ingredients: kimchi, onion, green onion, thinly sliced pork on top, and seasonings. From this experience, I developed my own recipe to make at home, which turned out delicious.

My kimchi-jjigae recipe served me well for many years, and I even made a video of it back in 2007. But since then, I’ve developed this new version, which is even more delicious. The secret is in the savory anchovy stock. I hope you make it and enjoy it for many years to come!

The Difference Between Kimchi Soup and Kimchi Stew:

Kimchi stew is thicker than kimchi soup. Kimchi soup is less salty compared to the stew. Also, soup is usually served in individual bowls, whereas stews like kimchi-jjigae are traditionally served in a large pot for communal eating.

Ingredients (serves 2 with side dishes, 4 without):

Ingredients (serves 2 with side dishes, 4 without):
1 pound kimchi, cut into bite-sized pieces
¼ cup kimchi brine
½ pound pork shoulder (or pork belly)
½ block of tofu (optional), cut into ½-inch thick bite-sized pieces
3 green onions
1 medium onion, sliced (1 cup)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 cups anchovy stock (or chicken or beef broth)

For anchovy stock (makes about 2½ cups):

7 large dried anchovies, heads and guts removed
⅓ cup Korean radish (or daikon), sliced thinly
1 piece dried kelp (4x5 inches)
3 green onion roots
4 cups water

Instructions:

Make Anchovy Stock:

Put the anchovies, radish, green onion roots, and kelp in a saucepan.
Add the water and boil for 20 minutes over medium-high heat.
Lower the heat and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Strain and set aside.

Make Kimchi stew:

Place the kimchi and kimchi brine in a shallow pot. Add the pork and onion.
Slice 2 green onions diagonally and add them to the pot.
Add salt, sugar, red pepper flakes, and red pepper paste. Drizzle the sesame oil over the top and pour in the anchovy stock.
Cover and cook for 10 minutes over medium-high heat.
Uncover, stir the seasonings into the stew, and layer the tofu on top.
Cover and cook for another 10-15 minutes over medium heat.
Chop the remaining green onion and sprinkle it over the stew. Remove from heat and serve immediately with rice.