Easy Kimchi Jjigae (Beginner Friendly Korean Kimchi Stew) recipe
An easy recipe for that jar of old kimchi sitting in the back of your fridge: Kimchi Jjigae! A Korean Kimchi Stew that is spicy, tangy, and mouthwateringly delicious. Tender chunks of pork and tofu make this soup a complete meal in one pot. Serve with a bowl of white rice for the ultimate Korean comfort food!
Servings: 2
Calories: 384kcal
Equipment
- 1 Korean earthenware pot (1000ml) *or medium saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups/ 250 grams kimchi *old, sour kimchi preferred
- 1/2 lbs/ 250 grams pork riblets or spare pork ribs *baby back pork ribs or pork chops with bone attached can also be used
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 anchovy broth coin
- 1/2 carton/ 240 grams tofu *soft or medium tofu
- 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Instructions
- Assemble ingredients. In a Korean earthenware pot (or medium saucepan), add the pork bones, kimchi, water, and anchovy broth coin. The water should just cover the kimchi and pork.
- Cook. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat then lower the heat to medium. The water should be bubbling somewhat vigorously with bubbles breaking the surface. Simmer until the pork is tender and the oil is pooling at the surface of the broth, about 20-25 minutes. Give it a stir from time to time so it doesn't stick to the bottom.
- NOTE: if the water evaporates too much, add more water so it's level with the same amount of liquid you started with.
- Add tofu. Drain the tofu and cut into 1-inch slices. Add to the bubbling stew and press with the back of a spoon to submerge partially into the broth. Spoon the broth over the tofu to help it to absorb the flavors. Cook until the tofu is warmed through, another 2-3 minutes.
- Serve. Turn off the heat. Garnish with a little butter and small drizzle of sesame oil. Serve immediately, while it's still bubbling hot, with rice and other side dishes, if you like. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
PRO Tips:
- Use OLD Kimchi! The older the kimchi, the better the kimchi jjigae. Save this recipe for when your kimchi has become overly sour.
- Cook until the oil pools at the top. The broth will have deeper flavor if cooked long enough for the fat to render out of the pork. There's lots of flavor that comes out of the pork bone, collagen, and connective tissue. Look for pooling oil that sits on the broth's surface, which tells you it's cooked long enough. My Korean grandma's secret for the best Kimchi Jjigae.
- Double or triple the amounts. Easily doubles or triples. Simply increase the ingredient amounts and use a larger pot.
Nutrition
Calories: 384kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 985mg | Potassium: 543mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 252IU | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 5mg