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Kimchi stew topped with tofu and green onion

Stews

Kimchi Jjigae

김치찌개 (gimchi-jjigae)

Medium Level: Easy

The everyday stew Koreans make when the kimchi turns sour.

Time
35 min
Serves
3
Calories
about 250
  • Well-fermented kimchi
  • Kimchi brine
  • Pork shoulder or belly
  • +7 more

Let's cook

Follow the steps in order

  1. 1

    Cut everything

    Cut the kimchi and pork into bite-size pieces and the tofu into 1.5 cm slices. Slice the onion and cut the green onion on the diagonal.

  2. 2

    Fry the pork and kimchi

    Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat and fry the pork. Once it loses its pink colour, add the kimchi and fry for 3 to 4 more minutes. This step is what gives the broth its depth.

  3. 3

    Simmer

    Add the water, kimchi brine, gochugaru and garlic. When it comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

  4. 4

    Add tofu and onion

    Add the onion and tofu and cook for 5 more minutes. Spoon broth over the tofu instead of stirring so it stays whole.

  5. 5

    Season and finish

    Taste it. Add a little soy sauce or salt if it needs it, and half a teaspoon of sugar if the kimchi is very sour. Top with green onion and turn off the heat.

Make it on a day like this

If the kimchi in your fridge has gone sour, today is the day. Few ingredients and hard to get wrong, so it is a good first Korean dish.

Ingredients

3

  • Well-fermented kimchi300 g (2 cups)the sourer the betterKorean grocery
  • Kimchi brine1/2 cupKorean grocery
  • Pork shoulder or belly200 gAny supermarket
  • Firm tofu150 gAny supermarket
  • Onion1/2Any supermarket
  • Green onion1 stalkAny supermarket
  • Minced garlic1 tbspAny supermarket
  • Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbspKorean grocery
  • Water or rice-rinsing water500 mlAny supermarket
  • Cooking oil1 tbspAny supermarket
Nutrition
250kcal
Calories
18g
Protein
16g
Fat
9g
Carbs

An estimate per serving, worked out from the ingredient amounts. It changes with the brands and portions you use.

Goes well with

  • Steamed white rice

    The stew is meant to be eaten with rice.

  • Rolled omelette

    Softens the heat.

  • Roasted seaweed

    Wrap rice in it and dip into the broth.

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How Koreans eat it

This is weeknight food, not celebration food. When the kimchi in the fridge gets properly sour, that is the signal to make it. At restaurants the pot sits in the middle of the table and everyone ladles it over their own rice.

Tips

  • Fresh kimchi will not work. If yours is store-bought, leave it at room temperature for a day or two first.
  • Swap the pork for canned tuna to make tuna kimchi stew. Add the tuna in the last 5 minutes.

Questions

Can kimchi jjigae be made vegetarian?

Yes. Use shiitake mushrooms instead of pork and kelp stock instead of water. Note that most kimchi contains fish sauce, so check for vegan kimchi if that matters to you.

How long does kimchi jjigae keep?

About 3 days in the fridge. Koreans often say it tastes better reheated the next day.

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