Kimchi Jjigae

Kimchi jjigae is the quintessential Korean comfort dish — a bubbling, fiery stew built on well-fermented kimchi, pork belly, and tofu. It is the meal Korean mothers make when the kimchi jar has been sitting for weeks and grown deeply sour, its funk transformed by time into something magnificent. Every household has its own version, passed down through generations, and it is eaten at any hour, including late at night after a long evening out.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 400 g (14 oz) well-fermented napa cabbage kimchi, roughly chopped
• 150 g (5 oz) pork belly, cut into 2.5 cm (1 in) pieces
• 300 g (10 oz) firm tofu, cut into 2 cm (¾ in) cubes
• 3 tablespoons kimchi brine (from the jar)
• 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 500 ml (2 cups) water or anchovy stock
• 2 spring onions, sliced, to garnish

Instructions

1. Place pork belly in a cold, heavy-bottomed pot or clay pot (dolsot). Set over medium heat and render for 3–4 minutes until the fat begins to release and the edges turn golden.
2. Add the kimchi and gochugaru. Stir-fry with the pork for 3 minutes, letting the kimchi caramelise slightly at the edges.
3. Pour in the water or anchovy stock and add the kimchi brine and garlic. Bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. The broth should deepen in colour and grow intensely savoury.
5. Add the tofu cubes and soy sauce. Simmer gently for a further 5 minutes without stirring so the tofu holds its shape.
6. Drizzle with sesame oil, scatter over the spring onions, and bring the pot directly to the table still bubbling.

Cook's Notes: The older and more sour your kimchi, the better this stew will be — fresh kimchi produces a flat, one-dimensional broth. If you do not have anchovy stock, dissolve one dried anchovy in hot water for 10 minutes as a quick substitute. Serve with steamed short-grain rice and a cold beer.