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Kimchi Jjigae

Serves 4 to 6 Soup meat, Soups

Kimchi Jjigae

Kimchi Jjigae is a cornerstone of Korean home cooking, a dish that embodies the comforting warmth of family meals. It's typically enjoyed as part of a shared table, where the rich aroma of fermented kimchi mingles with savory pork belly. This version reflects the way Korean families prepare it, with ingredients measured by touch and taste rather than by scale, celebrating the intuitive art of home cooking.

Expect a hearty stew with the depth of aged kimchi, the comforting heat of gochujang and gochugaru, and the umami-rich foundation of anchovy broth. Soft tofu adds a soothing contrast to the fiery elements, while scallions lend a fresh finish. Each spoonful is a harmonious balance of spicy, tangy, and savory notes, perfect for warming up any gathering.

Ingredients

  • 300 gaged kimchi
  • 200 gpork belly — cubed
  • 1onion
  • 2 tbspgochujang
  • 1 tbspgochugaru
  • 2 cupsanchovy broth
  • 1 blocksoft tofu
  • 2scallions
  • to tastefine sea salt

Method

  1. Begin by heating a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Add 200 g of sliced pork belly to the pot, allowing the fat to render and the edges to turn golden brown. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking, but let the pork develop a bit of color for added flavor.
  2. Once the pork is browned, add 1 sliced onion to the pot. Stir the onion into the pork fat, letting it soften and become translucent. This will take a few minutes, and you should start to smell the sweet aroma of the onion mixing with the pork.
  3. Add 2 tbsp of gochujang and 1 tbsp of gochugaru to the pot. Stir these into the onion and pork mixture until everything is well-coated. This step releases the deep, spicy flavors of the chili pastes, creating a rich, aromatic base for your stew.
  4. Add 300 g of aged kimchi, stirring it into the mixture. Cook for a few minutes until the kimchi softens slightly and its juices begin to meld with the other ingredients, intensifying the stew's flavor.
  5. Pour in 2 cups of anchovy broth, bringing the mixture to a gentle boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer. The stew should develop a harmonious blend of spicy, tangy, and savory flavors as it simmers.
  6. Cut the block of soft tofu into bite-sized cubes and gently add them to the pot. Stir carefully to avoid breaking the tofu. Let the stew simmer until the tofu is heated through and has absorbed some of the flavors, becoming tender and flavorful.
  7. Slice 2 scallions and add them to the stew, stirring them in just before serving. Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning with fine sea salt as needed. The scallions will add a fresh, vibrant note to the rich, hearty stew.
  8. Serve the Kimchi Jjigae hot, ideally with steamed rice on the side. The stew should be deeply flavorful, with the pork tender, the tofu soft, and the kimchi providing a satisfying tang and spice.
Cover of Authentic Korean Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Korean Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Korean Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Korean volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

Available soon on Amazon…

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