Kimchi Pork Belly Jjigae: A Rice-Thiefing Soul-Warming Dish
Beat the heat this Boknal with hearty Kimchi Pork Belly Jjigae! A guaranteed rice-thiefing dish that will satisfy your soul.
A simple yet deeply flavorful stew made with plenty of well-fermented kimchi and savory pork belly. This jjigae is so delicious, it’ll make you finish an entire bowl of rice in no time!
Main Ingredients
- 1/2 head of aged napa cabbage kimchi (mukimchi)
- 800g fresh pork belly
- 1 onion
- 2 Cheongyang chili peppers
- A small bunch of chives or green onions
Seasoning Ingredients
- 300ml kimchi brine (use the brine from the aged kimchi)
- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin or sake, to remove odor and add flavor)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- A pinch of ground ginger (can substitute with fresh ginger to taste)
- 3 Tbsp sugar (to balance the sourness of the kimchi and add sweetness)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce (for umami)
- A pinch of black pepper
- 600ml dashi or anchovy broth (for a richer soup base)
- 300ml kimchi brine (use the brine from the aged kimchi)
- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin or sake, to remove odor and add flavor)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- A pinch of ground ginger (can substitute with fresh ginger to taste)
- 3 Tbsp sugar (to balance the sourness of the kimchi and add sweetness)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce (for umami)
- A pinch of black pepper
- 600ml dashi or anchovy broth (for a richer soup base)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare your well-fermented napa cabbage kimchi (mukimchi). Lightly remove the kimchi filling and cut the cabbage into pieces slightly larger than bite-sized; this gives a pleasant texture when cooked. Don’t discard the kimchi brine – set it aside. This brine is the secret ingredient that adds a wonderful depth of flavor to the jjigae!
Step 2
Place the pork belly, cut into similarly large pieces, on top of the cut kimchi. Now, add all the seasoning ingredients: minced garlic, soy sauce, sugar, black pepper, and cooking wine (or mirin). Gently mix everything together with your hands. Ensuring the pork belly and kimchi are well-coated with the seasonings will result in a much richer flavor after cooking.
Step 3
Add the coarsely chopped onion to the pot or wok you’ll be using for cooking. Stir-fry over high heat until the onion becomes translucent and starts to release its sweetness. Frying over high heat quickly helps to enhance the onion’s natural flavor.
Step 4
Once the onions are lightly sautéed, add the seasoned pork belly and kimchi to the pot. Stir-fry everything together. When the pork belly is about halfway cooked and its surface turns opaque, pour in the prepared dashi (or anchovy) broth and the reserved kimchi brine. Add the chopped Cheongyang chili peppers and bring to a rolling boil over high heat with the lid off for 15 minutes. This is a crucial step where the flavors meld together as the liquid reduces.
Step 5
After 15 minutes, reduce the heat slightly and add the chopped chives (or green onions). Simmer for another 5 minutes. It’s almost ready! Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning. If it’s not salty enough, add a little more soy sauce. You can add more sugar according to your preference for sweetness. Enjoy this delicious jjigae where the natural flavors of the ingredients and the seasonings have harmonized beautifully!
Step 6
During the hot summer, especially on Boknal (the hottest days of summer), a hearty meal with hot rice is simply the best! In times like these when fresh vegetables can be scarce, this simple yet satisfying jjigae made with well-fermented kimchi and generous pork belly will be a wonderful, soul-warming dish that helps you forget the heat. With this pork belly jjigae, known for being a true ‘rice thief’, brave the unusually hot summer and enjoy a healthy and delicious meal!
