Using Mature Kimchi
Older, sour Kimchi gives Kimchi Jjigae more depth than very fresh Kimchi.
Korean Recipe
Kimchi Jjigae
For Kimchi Jjigae, Kimchi is first tasted with pork belly, onion and spices. After that, everything cooks with broth and kimchi juice before tofu and spring onions are added.
Total time
45 min
Calories
420 kcal
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
Easy
Why this recipe works
Kimchi Jjigae with matured Kimchi and Tofu
Kimchi Jjigae is best cooked with older, strong kimchi. Fresh kimchi often tastes too mild. The stew should be spicy, slightly sour and warming. Tofu is only added late so that it does not decay.
Lunch
One-Pot Recipes
Dinner
Meat
Recipe
Kimchi Jjigae
Kimchi Jjigae is a Korean stew with well matured kimchi, broth, pork belly or tofu, gochugaru, garlic and soft tofu. Mature kimchi makes the taste deep and sour.
Ingredients
4 servings
Method
-
1
Crying Kimchi
Heat sesame oil. Fry pork belly or tofu, onion, garlic and kimchi for a few minutes until it smells strong.
-
2
Seasonings
Mix Gochugaru, optional Gochujang and soy sauce. Add kimchi juice if available.
-
3
Cook
Pour in broth and simmer gently for 20 minutes so that kimchi and meat give off taste.
-
4
Add tofu
Place tofu in large pieces and let it marinate for 5 minutes. Do not stir strongly so that it does not crumble.
-
5
Serving
Finish with spring onions and serve hot with rice.
Kitchen know-how
Tips for Kimchi Jjigae
Use Kimchi juice
Kimchi juice brings spice and acid. If present, necessarily add to the pot.
Add tofu near the end
Tofu disintegrates quickly. Only at the end let gently pull in large pieces.
Variations
How to adapt this recipe
Leave out pig belly and use vegetable broth, mushrooms and more tofu.
A popular fast variant uses canned tuna, which only comes into the stew towards the end.
Nutrition per serving
420kcal
18.0 gCarbohydrates
24.0 gProtein
27.0 gFat
Values are estimates per serving and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Kimchi Jjigae
Mature, sour kimchi is ideal. There is more depth to the stew than very fresh kimchi.
Yes, with vegetable broth, mushrooms and tofu. Make sure to use vegetarian kimchi without fish sauce.
Tofu disintegrates easily. If it pulls only briefly, it remains in beautiful large pieces.
steamed rice is the most important side dish. Small banchan like cucumber salad or sprouts also fit.
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