Bring the wave of Korean dramas right into your kitchen with this easy recipe for kimchi stew with pork and tofu! This popular Korean dish, kimchi jjigae is deliciously rich and flavorful! A bowl of salty, sour, sweet, and spicy stew in one!
I've been cooking this dish for a while but have not quite gotten the right balance of saltiness and spiciness until recently. I always skip adding the kimchi brine that was why my kimchi stew before was just meh and bland.
My love for kimchi started during our trip to South Korea in 2017. When you eat at any diner in Korea, there's always kimchi and lots of sides in every dish! Authentic kimchi is not just spicy and salty but amazingly has a tinge of sweetness. The cabbage tastes fresh and crunchy too.
Make sure to try my homemade kimchi recipe.
I'm glad that here in the US, Asian store is abundant. I usually buy kimchi in bulk. A 10-pound jar costs $20. I use it all the time, especially when I cook this stew or as a side to any fried food I eat. This stew is a household favorite I have in rotation twice a month.
How To Make Kimchi Stew with Pork and Tofu?
Cooking kimchi stew is easy and simple using store-bought broth like chicken, beef, or vegetables. In Korea, they usually make their stock from scratch using anchovy.
But I'm using chicken broth for this recipe because that's what I have on hand. You can also use beef or vegetable stock.
To make kimchi stew, you will need sesame oil, garlic, onions, pork belly, kimchi, its brine, broth, gochujang (Korean red pepper paste), salt, sugar, firm tofu, and scallions.
Except for kimchi, I never really liked spicy food so this version is a bit mild on the spiciness. If you like hot and spicy kimchi stew, add more red pepper paste and chili flakes.
You will need a pot to cook this stew. In Korean dramas, they usually serve this in a stone bowl called dolsot.
In medium-high heat, start heating a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Saute 2 teaspoons of minced garlic, medium-size sliced onions, and half a pound of pork belly for 5 minutes or until the pork is n longer red.
Add 2 cups of chopped kimchi along with 1/4 cup of kimchi brine. Simmer for 2 minutes. Pour in 2 cups of broth and add 2 teaspoons of gochujang and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Season with salt and simmer for 10 minutes. Topped with sliced firm tofu and sprinkle with scallions. Add a splash of sesame oil, cover the pot, and simmer for 2 minutes.
Kimchi stew with pork and tofu is best served with rice and fried salted mackerel.
What to do with leftover kimchi stew? What I always do with the leftover stew is turn it into ramen or udon. I either add ramen or udon noodles to the soup and stir in an egg.
Kimchi Stew Recipe with Pork and Tofu
Delicrunch.co
Bring the wave of Korean dramas right into your kitchen with this easy recipe for kimchi stew with pork and tofu! This popular Korean dish, also known as kimchi jjigae is deliciously rich and flavorful! A bowl of salty, sour, sweet, and spicy stew in one!
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Asian, Korean
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion medium-size, sliced
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1/2 pound pork belly thinly sliced
- 2 cups kimchi chopped
- 1/4 cup kimchi brine it usually comes with the kimchi
- 2 cups broth chicken, beef or vegetable
- 2 teaspoons gochujang (korean red pepper paste)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- salt to season
- 12 oz firm tofu sliced
- 1 stem scallions sliced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
In a pot, heat oil in medium-high heat and saute the onions, garlic and the pork belly for 5 minutes or until the pork is not red anymore.
Add chopped kimchi along with its brine. Simmer for 2 minutes. Pour in broth and add in gochujang, and sugar. Season with salt and simmer for 10 minutes.
Topped with sliced firm tofu and sprinkle with scallions. Add a splash of sesame oil, cover the pot and simmer for 2 minutes.
Serve with rice.
Notes
For more spiciness, add another teaspoon of gochujang and 1 teaspoon chili flakes.
While you are here, checkout my other recipes.
Homemade Broccoli Cheddar Soup Your Ultimate Comfort Food
Baked Chicken Wings Recipe in BBQ sauce and Honey!
FAQs
The main ingredient in kimchi jjigae is kimchi, hence the name 'kimchi stew'. In soondubu jjigae, however, the main ingredient is the soft and silky tofu, hence the name 'extra soft tofu stew'. In terms of flavor, soondubu jjigae has a more delicate flavor than kimchi jjigae.
Is it okay to eat kimchi jjigae everyday? ›
Kimchi can be found in almost every Korean household. It is possible to buy kimchi jars in most supermarkets and online sites. Kimchi offers multiple health benefits and maintains the overall health of the body. It is often recommended to include kimchi in your daily diet.
What is a substitute for pork belly in kimchi jjigae? ›
Pork belly substitution
But if you don't have access to a good slab of pork belly, don't fret! Our second favorite cut of pork for kimchi jjigae and very affordable as well, is pork country ribs. Although not as fatty, country ribs are really flavorful, especially the bone-on country ribs.
Which tofu is best for soup? ›
Firm and extra-firm tofu are dense and solid and hold up well in stir-frys, soups or on the grill. Soft tofu is good for soups and making dips or spreads, where a smoother texture is desirable and the recipe calls for blending, mashing or puréeing.
Why is my kimchi stew bitter? ›
Lack of Fermentation
Freshly made Kimchi usually have a slight bitter aftertaste when compared to fermented packed ones sold in Supermarkets. This is because JIN Kimchi is made fresh daily and it's so fresh it has not had enough time to ferment.
Can eating kimchi every day destroy gut bacteria? ›
It can also be added to Western dishes like sandwiches, vegetable dishes, and pasta. Along with fiber, vitamins, and minerals, kimchi contains natural probiotic bacteria. If you eat them regularly, the probiotics in fermented foods can be beneficial to your gut microbiome.
When should you not eat kimchi? ›
Kimchi spoilage and over-fermentation
It will continue to ferment at a cool temperature. If kimchi over-ferments, it will have a very vinegary odor and taste. It is not pleasant to eat raw, so it is often used for soups and stews. If any fermentation gets soft and slimy, then it is a sign of spoilage.
What is the side effect of eating too much kimchi? ›
The most common reaction to fermented foods is a temporary increase in gas and bloating. This is the result of excess gas being produced after probiotics kill harmful gut bacteria and fungi. Probiotics secrete antimicrobial peptides that kill harmful pathogenic organisms like Salmonella and E. Coli.
Why do Koreans eat pork belly? ›
There is a myth in South Korea that eating Samgyeopsal protects humans from air pollution by particulates (sometimes translated as fine dust 미세먼지 in Korean). This is thought to have originated from the practice of Korean miners eating pork after an intensive mining operation.
What is the difference between kimchi and kimchi jjigae? ›
As a result, kimchi-jjigae is often cooked using older, more fermented, and "riper" kimchi, which has a much more pronounced flavor and contains higher amounts of probiotics. (Living bacteria in fresh, uncooked kimchi will not survive the cooking process.)
Jjigae (Korean: 찌개, Korean pronunciation: [tɕ͈iɡɛ]) are Korean stews.
What is the best combination for kimchi? ›
I like to add kimchi to soups to give it a tart tangy spicy flavour. You can add it to tofu rolls, to fried rice, to grilled cheese sandwiches. You can replace sauerkraut with kimchi in hot dogs, mix it up in potato salad and stir fried veggies.
Can you eat kimchi jjigae without rice? ›
Jjigae, on the other hand, is defined by a potent and complex flavor profile; diluting it with rice before your first bite is just a waste of a good jjigae. The only way to get the most out of it is to get the full blast of flavor in one spoonful, then soak up the powerful aftertaste with a bite of rice.
What's the difference between kimchi soup and tofu soup? ›
Kimchi stew (kimchi jjigae) usually has more kimchi and more acidic broth, while the main ingredients in kimchi tofu soup (kimchi soondubu) is the soft tofu.. and some kimchi added to enhance the broth flavor.
What is the difference between kimchi soup and kimchi stew? ›
Kimchi stew is thicker than kimchi soup. Kimchi soup is less salty than kimchi stew. Also, soup is always served in individual bowls, with rice. Traditionally in Korean cuisine stews were served in a big pot on the table, and the family would eat communally from the pot.
What is the difference between kimchi and Kimchi Jjigae? ›
As a result, kimchi-jjigae is often cooked using older, more fermented, and "riper" kimchi, which has a much more pronounced flavor and contains higher amounts of probiotics. (Living bacteria in fresh, uncooked kimchi will not survive the cooking process.)
Is kimchi soup the same as Kimchi Jjigae? ›
Kimchi soup, called jjigae, is a satisfying example. The fermented kimchi vegetables quickly provide deep flavor to the broth, so the soup can be produced in little more than half an hour.
