Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew)
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6 to 8
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Korean
This Kimchi Jjigae is comforting and nourishing, and super easy to make! Make this Kimchi Stew at home with this easy recipe with step-by-step photos.
Ingredients
For the Kimchi Jjigae
- 1–2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 400 g (14 oz) pork belly, without rind, thinly sliced
- coarse sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 small onions, sliced
- 600 g (21 oz) kimchi (see Kitchen Notes)
- 1.5 litres (6 cups) chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon Gochujang
- 1–2 teaspoons chilli flakes or Gochugaru (see Kitchen Notes)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- fish sauce, optional (see recipe instructions)
- 500 g (1 lb) silken tofu, thickly sliced
To serve
- spring onions (scallions), sliced
- Steamed Jasmine Rice
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add the pork belly (in batches) and season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Cook the pork belly (in batches) until it has browned nicely.
- If the pork belly has produced a lot of fat, remove some fat from the pan, if necessary. Otherwise, you will need a few tablespoons of fat/oil in the pan for the rest of the recipe.
- Add the onions and cook until softened.
- Add the kimchi, together with all of the juices from the kimchi packet or container. Cook for a few minutes until warmed through.
- Add the stock and bring everything to a gentle simmer.
- Add the Gochujang, chilli flakes, salt and sugar.
- Simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Taste for seasoning. If the soup needs more salt, consider adding a dash of fish sauce.
- Add the sliced tofu and cook for a few minutes until the tofu has warmed through. Take care not to break the tofu.
- Garnish with spring onions (scallions).
- Serve with steamed rice.
Kitchen Notes
TYPES OF KIMCHI
Some brands of kimchi contain fish sauce which will add extra flavour/umami to a soup like Kimchi Jjigae. So if you are using a kimchi which does not contain fish sauce, consider adding a dash of fish sauce to the soup if it needs a bit more salt.
CHILLI FLAKES VS GOCHUGARU
* Chilli flakes have different levels of heat. Add as much or as little as you like to this dish. It’s best to start off with less and to taste as you go, adding more chilli flakes to taste.
* Italian-style chilli flakes (the most common sort found in supermarkets) are generally not as spicy as Thai or Vietnamese-style chilli flakes.
* Thai or Vietnamese-style chilli flakes are usually made from birds eye chillies, which are very spicy. I only stock this type of chilli flake in my pantry as I like the level of heat it gives.
* Gochugaru is the name of Korean-style chilli flakes which is used in many Korean recipes, including kimchi and soups. It comes in a fine or coarse powder, and it gives the signature red colour to many Korean dishes. The level of heat can vary depending on the brand.
FREEZER TIPS
Kimchi Jjigae freezes and reheats very well. I recommend freezing the soup in ziplock-freezer bags with 1-2 portions. However, omit the tofu when freezing. Instead, add the tofu when you are reheating the soup.
CONVERSIONS
To convert from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this handy Conversion Chart for Basic Ingredients.
View the recipe online: https://eatlittlebird.com/kimchi-jjigae-kimchi-stew/
