Kongbiji Jjigae

Kongbiji Jjigae is a deeply nourishing Korean stew made from the ground soybean pulp left over after making tofu — a frugal, heirloom dish that transforms a by-product into something extraordinarily comforting. The thick, milky stew is enriched with kimchi and pork, simmered in an earthenware pot until the soybean base thickens to a porridge-like consistency. It is a cold-weather staple across Korea.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 400g (14 oz) fresh soybean pulp (kongbiji — available frozen at Korean grocery stores)
• 150g (5 oz) pork belly or shoulder, thinly sliced
• 150g (5 oz) well-fermented kimchi, roughly chopped, plus 2 tbsp kimchi liquid
• 200g (7 oz) soft tofu, broken into chunks
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 500 ml (2 cups) water or anchovy stock
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil
• 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, to finish

Instructions

1. Heat sesame oil in a dolsot (stone pot) or heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add pork and stir-fry 3–4 minutes until lightly browned.
2. Add garlic, kimchi, and kimchi liquid. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.
3. Add the kongbiji (soybean pulp) and water or stock. Stir well, breaking up any lumps.
4. Add gochugaru and salt. Bring to a boil stirring constantly — kongbiji scorches easily, so keep stirring.
5. Reduce heat to low. Add soft tofu chunks. Simmer gently, stirring frequently, for 15–20 minutes until the stew thickens to a creamy, porridge-like consistency.
6. Taste and adjust salt. Scatter with spring onion and sesame seeds. Serve immediately in the cooking pot with steamed rice.

Cook's Notes: Kongbiji must be stirred constantly during cooking — the soybean solids sink and stick to the bottom of the pot rapidly. Fresh or thawed frozen kongbiji gives a much better texture than canned. Aged, deeply sour kimchi gives the best flavour here.