Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew with Pork and Tofu)

Name: Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew with Pork and Tofu)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 200 g well-fermented kimchi, bite-size; 3 tbsp kimchi juice; 150 g pork belly or shoulder, sliced; 150 g firm tofu (about ½ block); ½ onion, sliced; 1 green onion, sliced; 1 tbsp cooking oil; 1 tbsp gochugaru; ½ tbsp gochujang, optional; 1 tsp minced garlic; 1 tbsp soy sauce or fish sauce; 1 tsp sugar, if the kimchi is very sour; 500 ml water or anchovy stock

김치찌개 · say “kim-chee jji-geh” · kimchi stew

The stew Koreans make when the kimchi turns sour — and the one that brings everyone back to the table. Well-fermented kimchi is the secret.

Total time35 min

LevelEasy

Keeps2 days

Spice●●○

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How to make it

Brown the porkHeat the oil in a pot over medium heat and stir-fry the pork for 2–3 minutes, until it is no longer pink.
Fry the kimchiAdd the kimchi and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until soft and fragrant. Add the gochugaru and garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
SimmerPour in the water, kimchi juice, gochujang and soy sauce (and sugar if the kimchi is very sour). Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 15 minutes.
FinishAdd the onion and tofu and cook 5 more minutes. Taste, adjust with soy sauce, top with green onion and serve bubbling with rice.

Older kimchi, better stew

Kimchi that is too sour to eat on its own makes the deepest-tasting stew. Fresh kimchi works too — add a small splash of vinegar.

Tuna version

No pork? Use one can of tuna, drained, and add it in step 3. It is a classic quick version in Korean homes.

Food culture

Why sour kimchi?

Kimchi keeps fermenting in the fridge. When it becomes too sour to eat raw, Korean families turn it into jjigae, so nothing is wasted.

Complete the table

Pairs well with

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Banchan

어묵볶음

Eomuk-bokkeum

Sweet, salty and a little glossy — the side dish in countless Korean lunchboxes. Fifteen minutes, one pan, and it keeps for days.

Japchae

Chewy glass noodles, colorful vegetables and a sweet-savory soy dressing — the dish on almost every Korean holiday and birthday table.

Gimbap

Rice and colorful fillings rolled in seaweed and sliced into rounds — the food Koreans pack for school trips, hikes and road trips.

50 minMedium