Spicy and Rich Pork Kimchi Stew (Kimchi Jjigae) – The Ultimate Recipe
Spicy and Rich Pork Kimchi Stew (Kimchi Jjigae) – The Ultimate Recipe
The True Rice Thief! The King of Kimchi Stews, Pork-Filled Kimchi Jjigae!
Introducing a recipe for a deeply flavorful and invigorating pork kimchi stew, made generously with aged kimchi and pork shoulder. This stew is guaranteed to warm you up and is perfect for enjoying with a hearty bowl of rice!
Kimchi Stew Ingredients- 1/4 head of well-fermented aged kimchi (approx. 300-400g)
- 300g pork shoulder or neck, cut for stew
- 1 block firm tofu (firm frying tofu recommended)
- 1/2 stalk green onion
- 1-2 Korean chili peppers (adjust to taste)
Pork Marinade & Seasoning- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, adjust based on kimchi)
- 1 tsp sugar (adjust based on kimchi’s sourness)
- Pinch of black pepper
- Salt or soy sauce, to taste (for final seasoning)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, adjust based on kimchi)
- 1 tsp sugar (adjust based on kimchi’s sourness)
- Pinch of black pepper
- Salt or soy sauce, to taste (for final seasoning)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, rinse the aged kimchi well and cut it into bite-sized pieces (about 2-3 cm). Place all the cut kimchi into a pot.
Step 2
Dice the tofu into roughly 2cm cubes. Slice the green onion diagonally and thinly slice the Korean chili peppers. (You can adjust the amount of chili peppers to your preference. Using frozen chili peppers is also fine.)
Step 3
Add the pork shoulder to the kimchi in the pot, along with the minced garlic, gochugaru, sugar, and black pepper. Mix everything well with your hands by gently massaging it. It’s crucial to adjust the sugar based on the sourness of your kimchi. If the kimchi is very sour, add a little sugar to balance the flavor; if it’s not very sour, you can omit or reduce the sugar.
Step 4
Stir-fry the seasoned kimchi and pork over high heat. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, just until the surface of the pork is lightly cooked. Stir-frying this way helps retain the pork’s juices, making it more tender.
Step 5
Pour water or broth (anchovy or kelp broth recommended) over the stir-fried kimchi and pork until it’s just covered. (About 700ml to 1L, enough to submerge the kimchi). Once the liquid starts to boil vigorously over high heat, add the sliced Korean chili peppers. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10-15 minutes, allowing the kimchi to soften and the flavors to deepen.
Step 6
Once the kimchi is tender and the broth has developed its flavor, add the diced tofu and sliced green onions. Continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Finally, taste the stew and adjust the seasoning with salt or soy sauce if needed. Your delicious pork kimchi stew is now ready to be enjoyed with a warm bowl of rice!
