Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew)

 

Ingredients: (serves 1)

1 cup Kimchi (homemade) - cut into bite size pieces

2" length of pork belly (remove skin and sliced into bite-size pieces)

1 1/2 tsp. Korean red chili pepper flakes (adjust to your taste)

2 garlic cloves (peeled and finely chopped)

1/2 tbsp. cooking oil

1/4 cup kimchi juice from kimchi (if available) - I did not use

6 slices of fish cake (the actual recipe use tofu)

1 sprig spring onion (cut into 1" length)

Dash of light soy sauce and pepper (to taste)

Methods:

1. Heat a small pot with cooking oil.  Add the kimchi, pork, red pepper flakes and garlic; cook over medium heat until the kimchi is softened and the pork cooks through, about 5 minutes.
2. Add kimchi juice (if using) and 1 1/2 cups of water (or broth).  Bring it to a boil, and continue cooking for 5 minutes.  Then, reduce heat to medium-low, and boil, covered for about 10 minutes.  You can add more water, if needed.
3. Add in the fish cake or tofu and spring onions.  Add light soy sauce and pepper to taste.  (salt is usually not necessary, unless the kimchi was lightly seasoned.  Boil until fish cake or tofu is cooked through.
4. Serve hot!

Notes:

• Use old, sour kimchi.
• Cook the kimchi and pork together before adding the liquid to develop extra flavor.
• Use the water from the second or third round of rinsing rice.  The rice water thickens the broth slightly and enhances the flavor.  This rice water is a stew base, commonly used for Korean stews.
• Use the juice from the kimchi if available.  It will add lots of flavor to the broth.

This delicious recipe is adapted from 'KOREAN BAPSANG, a korean mom's home cooking' with slight adjustment to suit my cooking preference.