Kimchi Jjigae (Korean Stew)

Recipe by Eric Shin, Seoul Spice | Photo by Jennifer Chase

¼ pound diced pork belly (can substitute with ¼ pound bacon, diced)
½ small yellow onion
1 heaping cup kimchi (strain the juice and put aside)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon gochujang
1 teaspoon gochugaru
¼ cup kimchi juice (the brine from the kimchi jar)
½ package tofu (optional, but delicious)
1 packet shin ramen base (optional, but makes a huge difference)
2 cups water or broth (chicken, beef, mushroom)
1 teaspoon soy sauce, or to taste
2 scallions
1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil

Heat a small saucepan (or stone bowl teok-bae-gi) at medium heat and then, after it is heated, add the pork belly or bacon and onions; cook for 3 minutes, constantly stirring. There should be a nice layer of fat at the bottom of the cooking vessel.  

Add the strained kimchi, and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the sugar, gochujang, gochugaru and  kimchi juice; cook for 2 minutes. Add the tofu and shin ramen packet (optional) and pour in the broth. Let everything simmer for 10 minutes. 

Add soy sauce to adjust the saltiness to your taste. Garnish with sliced scallion and sesame oil. Serve with a hot bowl of rice. 

Chef’s Note: Growing up, my favorite was Budae-Jigae (aka The Army Stew Variation), which is the same recipe as above, but throw in slices of Spam, Vienna sausages, broken rice cakes, instant ramen noodles and crack a raw egg into the hot stew before serving.