Jjigae (찌개) refers to any Korean stew-like dish. Kimchi jjigae (김치 찌개) is hence a stew comprising mainly kimchi as well as other ingredients like beancurd, meat and mushrooms. Given that kimchi is a type of pickled vegetable that opens up one’s appetite, this stew is therefore easy to digest, what with its accompanying ingredients and soup base that are mostly mild and light tasting as well.
Ingredients:
- Pork belly: 300g, sliced thinly
- Sesame oil: 2 tbsp
- White onion: 1, finely chopped
- Fermented kimchi: 1 kg, sliced
- Kimchi sauce (from packet): 1/2 cup
- Water: 3 cups
- 고추장 (gochujang, hot red pepper paste): 3 tbsp (optional)
- Sugar: 2 tbsp
- Salt: 2 tsp
- Semi-firm tofu: 1 pack, cubed
- Green onion (or spring onion): 1 stalk, chopped
- Enoki mushroom: 1/2 pack, roots sliced off
Method:
- Add pork belly and sesame oil to wok. Stir-fry till golden brown.
- Add onion, kimchi, kimchi sauce, water and gochujang to pork belly.
- Bring to boil and then simmer for 15 min.
- Add sugar, salt, then tofu and green onions.
- Stir gently to mix to prevent tofu from breaking apart.
- Stir in enoki mushrooms just before switching off the heat.
- Serve with rice or ramen noodles.
Tricks:
- To get a stronger kimchi flavour in the soup base, use only ripely fermented kimchi (which are also more expensive!)
- The remaining ingredients including enoki mushrooms, onions, pork belly and tofu can be added according to personal preferences. Other ingredients to add include seafood, chicken, tuna and spam meat.
Serving:
4 – 5 persons
Fiery rating:
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