Hearty Rice Thief: Baek Jong-won Style Potato Spam Jjigae
Hearty Rice Thief: Baek Jong-won Style Potato Spam Jjigae
Baek Jong-won Recipe: Potato Spam Jjigae That Will Finish a Bowl of Rice!
A satisfying meal whipped up with ingredients from your fridge! Don’t worry if you don’t have many side dishes. With this Baek Jong-won style Potato Spam Jjigae, featuring a thick, rich broth with generous spam and fluffy potatoes, and fragrant mushrooms, you’ll finish a bowl of rice in no time! When mixed with warm rice, it’s a flavor thief that will make you forget about other side dishes.
Main Ingredients- 1 can Spam
- 6 potatoes
- 3 shiitake mushrooms
- 2 green chilies
- 1 red chili
- 1/2 onion
- 1/3 stalk green onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Seasoning Sauce- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1000ml rice water (approx. 4 cups)
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1000ml rice water (approx. 4 cups)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the vegetables for the dish. Peel the potatoes and cut them into bite-sized cubes. Remove the stems from the shiitake mushrooms and slice them to a suitable size. Slice the onion thinly. Slice the green and red chilies diagonally and remove the seeds. Chop the green onion finely. Finally, mince the garlic.
Step 2
Open the Spam can and remove the contents. Place the Spam in a resealable bag and crush it using your hands or a rolling pin. It’s best to crush it while leaving some chunks for texture rather than making it too mushy. If you want to remove the characteristic oily flavor of canned ham, you can blanch it in hot water first.
Step 3
Now, let’s make the core of this delicious jjigae: the seasoning sauce! In a bowl, combine 1 Tbsp gochujang, 2 Tbsp gochugaru, and 1 Tbsp soy sauce, and mix well. This simple seasoning will create a deep and rich flavor.
Step 4
Prepare a deep pot or wok. Line the bottom of the pot with the cubed potatoes and sliced onion. Spread the crushed Spam evenly over the vegetables. Pour in 1000ml of rice water (about 4 cups) to cover the ingredients. Place the prepared seasoning sauce on top and bring to a boil over high heat.
Step 5
The key to a good jjigae is to let the broth simmer and thicken. Initially, you’ll have plenty of broth, but as it cooks, the starch from the gochujang and potatoes will dissolve, creating a thick and concentrated soup. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 10-15 minutes until the ingredients are cooked and the broth has thickened. Finally, sprinkle the chopped green onions on top and simmer for a moment longer. Your delicious Potato Spam Jjigae is ready!
