Kimchi Jjigae

Name: Kimchi Jjigae
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 12 large Dried Anchovies, soup anchovies; heads and guts removed; 1 sheet of Dried Kelp, dashima; about 10 cm square; 1.5 l Water; 500g Napa Cabbage Kimchi, well-fermented, chopped; 240ml Kimchi Juice; 350g Pork Belly, thinly sliced; 300g Tofu (Firm), sliced into thick rectangles; 1 medium Yellow Onion, sliced; 3 Scallions, cut into 3 cm lengths; 1 1/2 tbsp Gochugaru (Korean Red Pepper Flakes), Korean red pepper flakes; 1 tbsp Gochujang, Korean red chili paste; 1 tbsp Garlic, minced; 1 tbsp Guk-Ganjang, Korean soup soy sauce; 1 tsp Sugar; 1.3 l Anchovy-Kelp Stock, from above; 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper; Some Salt, to taste

Kimchi Jjigae is a comforting, boldly flavored Korean stew featuring tangy napa kimchi simmered with rich pork belly and silky tofu. It’s spicy, savory, and deeply satisfying—perfect for chilly nights or whenever you want a bowl of homey heat.

Kimchi Jjigae is a comforting, boldly flavored Korean stew featuring tangy napa kimchi simmered with rich pork belly and silky tof... Show more

Traditional Korean Recipe

Health Grade

B+ · Healthy

Rating

4.2

Time

1 hr10 min

Price

5,05 €

Calories

537 kcal

low calorie

meal prep

one pot

high protein

Method

Prep the stock

Snap the heads off the dried anchovies and pull out the dark guts if they are still attached. Wipe the surface of the dried kelp with a dry towel or paper towel to remove any dust; do not rinse it, or you will wash away flavor. Leave the kelp whole so it is easy to remove later.

Simmer the stock

Put the anchovies and kelp in a medium pot with the water. Bring it just to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, then remove the kelp after 10 minutes or the stock can turn slimy and bitter. Keep simmering for 10 minutes more, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Reserve 1.2 l for the stew.

Prep the stew

While the stock cooks, chop the napa cabbage kimchi into bite-size pieces if it is not already cut, and measure out the kimchi juice. If your pork belly is not already sliced, cut it into thin bite-size strips. Drain the firm tofu, pat it dry, and slice it into thick rectangles. Peel and slice the yellow onion, trim the scallions and cut them into 3 cm lengths, and peel and mince the garlic.

Cook pork and kimchi

Set a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pork belly and cook, stirring often, until some fat renders and the meat loses most of its raw color. Add the onion and kimchi, then cook together until the onion softens and the kimchi looks glossy and slightly darker, scraping the bottom of the pot so nothing catches.

Bloom the seasonings

Stir in the gochugaru, gochujang, garlic, guk-ganjang, sugar, kimchi juice, and ground black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute so the chili flakes bloom and the paste melts into the kimchi and pork.

Simmer the stew

Pour in 1.2 l of the anchovy-kelp stock and bring the stew to a boil. Lower the heat to a lively simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the pork is tender and the broth tastes full and rounded rather than sharply sour.

Add tofu

Gently tuck the tofu into the simmering stew and scatter in the scallions. Simmer for 5 minutes so the tofu heats through and absorbs some of the broth. Taste and add salt only if needed.

Serve hot

Ladle the kimchi jjigae into bowls, or bring the pot straight to the table if you like. Try to give each serving a little pork, tofu, kimchi, and plenty of broth while it is still bubbling hot.