Hearty Jeon Jjigae Made with Leftover Jeon
Hearty Jeon Jjigae Made with Leftover Jeon
Holiday Food Hack! How to Make a Delicious Jeon Jjigae with a Clean Broth, Reminiscent of Budae Jjigae
Don’t let your leftover jeon (Korean savory pancakes) go to waste after the holidays! This ‘Jeon Jjigae’ recipe transforms them into a flavorful, spicy, and refreshing stew. Adding Spam, often a holiday gift, gives it a satisfying depth similar to Budae Jjigae (Army Stew), with a wonderfully robust and cooling broth. It’s a perfect, simple soup dish for any meal when you need something warm and comforting. Discover this fantastic way to use up holiday leftovers!
Main Ingredients- 5 pieces of pan-fried tofu (Dubu Buchim)
- 8 pieces of pollack pancakes (Dongtae Jeon)
- 4 sausages
- 200g Spam
- 1 handful of bean sprouts (approx. 50g)
- 1 cup well-fermented kimchi (approx. 100g)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the jeon ingredients for easy eating. Slice the 5 pieces of pan-fried tofu into thick strips about 1cm wide, cutting across the shorter side. Cut the 8 pieces of pollack pancakes into similar thickness strips as the tofu. This preparation helps the broth absorb more flavor.
Step 2
Slice the 4 sausages diagonally for visual appeal. Cut the 200g Spam first in half lengthwise, then into slices about 0.5cm to 1cm thick. The saltiness of the Spam will add a wonderful umami to the jeon jjigae.
Step 3
Now, arrange the ingredients in a pot. Nicely arrange the sliced pollack jeon, sausages, tofu, and Spam around the perimeter of the pot. This arrangement helps keep the ingredients intact while cooking and makes the stew look more appetizing.
Step 4
In the center of the pot, place the handful of cleaned bean sprouts, and then top with the finely chopped cup of well-fermented kimchi. Using sour kimchi will result in a deeper, more refreshing broth.
Step 5
Now, add the seasonings. Stir in 1 tablespoon of gochugaru and 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic. Pour in 6 cups (approx. 1.2L) of anchovy-kelp broth, which will form the base of the stew’s delicious flavor. If you don’t have broth, water is acceptable, but broth will yield a richer taste.
Step 6
Once all ingredients and seasonings are in the pot, place it on the stove and bring it to a boil.
Step 7
Begin by boiling over high heat. Once the broth is vigorously boiling, add the white parts of the 1 stalk of green onion, sliced diagonally. Then, reduce the heat to medium or low and let it simmer gently, allowing the flavors to meld together. This controlled simmering extracts the best taste from the ingredients.
Step 8
Finally, add the green parts of the green onion, sliced diagonally, and the 2 Cheongyang chili peppers, also sliced diagonally, for an extra kick. Taste the broth and season with a pinch of salt and pepper as needed to complete your delicious Jeon Jjigae. Feel free to add mushrooms or extra tofu if you like!
